Mesut Ozil's decision to quit international football over alleged racism has sparked a vicious attack from Germany legend Uli Hoeness, who claimed the Arsenal star has underperformed for years.

Bayern Munich president Hoeness, a World Cup winner in 1974, claimed his team always played on Ozil because he was the 'weak point'.

'He had been playing s*** for years,' Hoeness told Bild. 'He last won a tackle before the 2014 World Cup. And now he and his s****y performance hide beyond this picture.

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has launched an astonishing attack on Mesut Ozil

Hoeness said that Ozil had 'been playing s*** for years' after he quit international football

Ozil quit international football with Germany on Sunday, citing 'racism and disrespect'

'Whenever Bayern played against Arsenal, we played over him because we knew that was their weak point.

'His 35million followers (on social media) - that don't exist in real world - are convinced he has played sublimely when he completes a cross pass.

'The development in our country is a catastrophe. You have to go back to what it is: sport. And from a sporting point of view, Ozil has no place in the national team for years.'

Ozil announced his retirement from international football on Sunday, releasing a long statement to explain his reasons which included allegations of racism at the top of German football.

Ozil, pictured with Arsenal in the Far East, still managed a smile during a training session

Ozil is now in Singapore with Arsenal, training ahead of two friendly matches this week

The playmaker was having a breather with team-mate Sead Kolasinac at the training ground

On Monday night his agent hit back, saying: 'The comments of Mr Hoeness miss the point completely, as they have absolutely nothing to do with football.

'He is trying to divert attention away from the real issue, the issue of racism and discrimination in Germany, which is resurging once again within everyday German society.

'As Mesut said in his statement, he accepts reasonable and fair criticism of his football, and deals with that as part of the job. However, Mr Hoeness cannot even provide any actual evidence to back up his foolish statements that are back up his foolish statements that are clearly exaggerated.

'In this case, the stats are clear. Twenty-three goals, 40 assists — a German record — and five-time German player of the year, three of which come after 2014.

'He claims that Mesut has been a "ghost" for years, but what "ghost" wins all these awards and has this much success?'

He steps away from Germany having played 92 times for his country and scoring 23 goals

Ozil said that also he quit Germany as he feels his achievements have been forgotten

Ozil announced his decision to call time on his international career on Sunday

Ozil, 29, claimed he had been made a scapegoat for the team's failure at the World Cup in Russia because he had Turkish roots and had posed for a photo with Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's controversial president.

Ozil, who won 92 caps and was a key part of Germany's World Cup-winning team four years ago, went on to accuse Reinhard Grindel, president of the DFB (the German FA), of discriminating against him.

In a statement on Twitter on Sunday, Ozil outlined his reasons for quitting. He wrote: 'The treatment I have received from the DFB (German Football Association) and many others makes me no longer want to wear the German national team shirt.

'I feel unwanted and think that what I have achieved since my international debut in 2009 has been forgotten.

'I will no longer be playing for Germany at international level whilst I have this feeling of racism and disrespect. I used to wear the German shirt with such pride and excitement, but now I don't.

'When high-ranking DFB officials treat me as they did, disrespect my Turkish roots and selfishly turn me into political propaganda, then enough is enough.

'This is not why I play football, and I will not sit back and do nothing about it. Racism should never, ever be accepted. I am German when we win, but I am an immigrant when we lose.'

Hoeness said when Bayern have played Arsenal, they considered Ozil to be a weak point

The DFB issued a statement rejecting the allegations. 'Mesut Ozil played a key role in Germany lifting the World Cup in Brazil in 2014 and so the DFB is and always will be incredibly grateful for his outstanding performances in Germany colours,' said the statement.

But it went on to say that the pictures with president Erdogan 'raised questions for many people in Germany' and that they deserved an explanation.

'At the DFB we win and lose together, all of us, as a team. The DFB would have been happy for Mesut Ozil to continue being part of this team on that basis, but he has chosen otherwise. We wish to make no public comment in regard to some statements that for us are incomprehensible.'

Germany's defence of the World Cup saw them eliminated at the first stage for the first time in 80 years, losing to Mexico and South Korea.

Ozil played twice for Germany at this summer's tournament in Russia, where the defending champions crashed out at the group stage.

The 29-year-old is now in Singapore with Arsenal for two friendly matches against Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.