Turkish ministers yesterday warmly applauded the decision of Turkish-origin German footballer Mesut Ozil to quit the national team on the grounds of racism, with one senior minister hailing "a goal against the virus of fascism."

Ozil, who was born in Germany to a Turkish-origin family, had been under fire since posing for a controversial photograph with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in May which sparked questions about his loyalty to Germany's squad ahead of the World Cup in Russia.