Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil is best 'German abroad'

New Delhi: Arsenal play-maker Mesut Ozil has been named the best "German abroad" by famous magazine kicker.

In a splendid season so far, the 27-year-old World Cup winner has helped Arsenal to English Premier League top position and also to the UEFA Champions League knock-out stage, where they will play Barcelona in a two-legged tie.

The "kicker ranking of German football" is published on a biannual basis, and ranks players in all positions, and also those plying their trade abroad.

Players are divided into four categories: world class, international class, players of note and players in focus.

The former Real Madrid player is the only player to be called up into the international class, even as other Germans in foreign leagues -- including World Cup winners Toni Kroos, Sami Khedira, and Bastian Schweinsteiger -- settling in third or fourth categories.

In Germany, Bayern Munich dominated the positions, with Robert Lewandowski named best forward, just head of Borussia Dortmund's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.