Writing for German football magazine kicker, former Germany captain Lothar Matthäus has said Arsenal midfielder Mesut Özil isn’t world class.

There was some solace for Özil and Arsenal fans, as the magazine ranked the playmaker as the best German player plying his trade outside of Germany right now. However, Matthäus was scathing despite Özil’s incredible form so far this season.

Players are ranked by kicker according to their performances so far this season, and Özil was ranked ‘international class’, but missed out on the ‘world class’ category.

“The midfield star just missed out on the world class category due to his weak start to the season,” explained the magazine, before Matthäus set the bar inexplicably high.

“[He’s] too inconsistent. I expect even more from him. Now and then, he hides and you can’t see him just like in the 4-0 defeat at Southampton.”

Incredible. Premier League records for assists in consecutive games and assists this far into a season isn’t enough? How about creating more chances, and more goals, than anyone else in Europe. Still not enough.

Matthäus has a reputation as a pretty poor pundit, as well as being fairly bitter – last year he whined about Lukas Podolski closing in on his record of caps for Germany. Like it or not, Özil is world class. Both Matthäus and kicker will surely accept Özil as world class should he lead Germany to glory at Euro 2016 in the summer. Maybe he’ll do just that and make them eat their words.