Özil is acclaimed for his finesse and improvisation as an attacking midfielder. His style and ability for providing assists for his teammates has been compared by former manager José Mourinho to that of Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane.[7] In 2010–11, Özil ranked first in assists in major European and domestic competitions with 25. In 2011–12, he ranked first in assists in La Liga with 17.[8][9] Özil was the joint-highest assist provider at both the 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2012, registering three at each tournament.
