Ozil, Gundogan cause controversy with Erdogan photo

"Football and the DFB (German football federation) defend values which are not fully taken into account by Mr Erdogan," DFB president Reinhard Grindel tweeted.

"That's why it's not good that international players allow themselves to be manipulated for his electoral campaign.

"In doing that, our players have certainly not helped the DFB's work on integration."

During a meeting Sunday with Erdogan, the two players, both born in the German city of Gelsenkirchen, handed over signed Arsenal and Manchester City shirts. Photos of the meeting were used on social media by Erdogan's campaign team.

Erdogan, in power for the last 15 years as premier and now president, will seek a new term in snap June 24 polls.

After the landmark vote, a new system agreed in an April 2017 referendum will come into force, which the opposition says will give the president authoritarian powers.

The extreme-right German party, the AfD, was quick to react, politician Beatrix von Storch asking: "Why is Gundogan playing for the German national team when he recognises Erdogan as his president?"

Cem Ozdemir, former leader of the German Green party and himself of Turkish origin, was also scathing.

"The president of an international German footballer is called Frank-Walter Steinmeier, his chancellor Angela Merkel and his parliament the Bundestag, the headquarters of which are in Berlin and not Ankara," Ozdemir told AFP subsidiary SID.