'Maybe in the future' Mesut Ozil's rep denies reports he gave World Cup bonus to Gaza #IRepEntertain9jarBlog #TwitterTrendBlog via @myentertain9jar

ARSENAL star Mesut Ozil has reportedly given his £350,000 World Cup winnings away but confusion has broken out over who benefited from the donation.

 

 

Arsenal and Germany star Mesut Ozil has reportedly donated his World Cup winnings to charity[REUTERS]

The 25-year-old allegedly said that he was going to donate his earnings from Germany's triumph in Brazil to a charity for children in the Gaza Strip.

Ozil, who is the Gunners record signing, earned a £237,000 bonus for helping Germany win the final and £118,000 for his side's semi-final win.

But his representative tonight said the Arsenal midfielder was donating money to projects in Brazil and not to the aid efforts in Gaza.

Roland Eitel said: "The claim that Mesut donated money to Gaza is not true.

"Maybe in the future, who knows? He donated money to causes in Brazil and he is now on holiday."

Ozil had allegedly donated the £350,000 he earned in Brazil to the children of Gaza [REUTERS]

Maybe in the future, who knows? He donated money to causes in Brazil and he is now on holiday

Roland Eitel - representative for Arsenal star Mesut Ozil

The Middle East Monitor had initially claimed Ozil was going to donate his World Cup winnings to the children of Gaza.

They also alleged that Ozil had declined to shake hands with a FIFA official at the World Cup because of his support for Israel.

Ozil, who is of Turkish descent, is a practising Muslim and he recites the Quran before games.

He took to his Facebook page earlier today to say that he was paying for 23 sick children in Brazil to undergo surgery.

He wrote: "Prior to the #WorldCup I supported the surgery of eleven sick children [in Brazil].

"Since the victory of the #WorldCup is not only due to eleven players but to our whole team, I will now raise the number to 23."

Ozil's rep said the Arsenal star had donated money to projects in Brazil [STUART ROBINSON]

After reaching the knockout stages of the World Cup Algeria donated their total £5.25million prize money to Gaza.

Algeria striker Islam Slimani said the entire squad were donating the money because the territory needed it "more than us".

The nine day fighting surrounding the Gaza Strip has left 213 Palestinians dead and some wounded.

While on the the Israeli side one man was killed from shells sent from Gaza and several people were wounded since the fighting erupted on July 8.