Mesut Ozil is perhaps the most divisive figure in German football history.

The Arsenal playmaker has had a plethora of criticism throughout his career, but he still managed 92 appearances for the national team before retiring in 2018.

Ozil was a key part of the 2014 World Cup-winning side, but even received criticism back then for his languid playing style.

Then you have Toni Kroos, a man who was lauded for his performances in 2014, but has been targeted by cynics in recent years, particularly at the 2018 World Cup.

Some think the Real Madrid man slows down the game in the middle of the park.

But one German national who is not going to criticise Ozil or Kroos - despite Germany's disastrous campaign out in Russia - is Bayer Leverkusen starlet, Kai Havertz.

In fact, the next potential star of the Joachim Low's side believes the two midfielders could be Germany's two greatest ever players.

“In my opinion, Mesut Ozil or Toni Kroos have been and are wrongly critcised for unnecessarily delaying the game or slowing the tempo down,” Havertz told the Rheinische Post.

“Who claims this has very little idea of the game. In my opinion they are perhaps the best footballers Germany has ever had.”

A bold, bold claim.

While both Kroos and Ozil are talented and have played for some of the biggest clubs in world football, Germany have had some ridiculously good players throughout their history.

Franz Beckenbauer, Lothar Matthaus, Phillipp Lahm and quite a few more can possibly lay claim to being Die Mannschaft's greatest ever player.

Who knows, in 10 years time, Havertz himself could be competing for the accolade.

The 20-year-old was on fire for Leverkusen in 2018/19, scoring 17 goals in 34 Bundesliga games.

When Havertz does inevitably move on, he is going to command a ridiculously high fee and will probably become the most expensive German player in history.