Ilkay Gundogan Bids Farewell to Germany’s National Team
Germany’s midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has announced his retirement from international football, bringing an end to a remarkable chapter in his career with the national team.
In a heartfelt post on social media, Gundogan expressed his sentiments: “After a few weeks of consideration, I have come to the conclusion that it is time to end my national team career.”
“I look back with great pride on 82 international matches for my home country – a number I could never have dreamed of when I made my debut for the senior national team in 2011,” he reflected.
Gundogan, who has been a pivotal figure in Germany’s midfield, amassed 82 caps, scoring 19 goals and providing nine assists. He captained the national team during the UEFA European Championship held at home between June and July, where Germany reached the quarterfinals before being edged out 2-1 by eventual champions Spain.
“My highlight was definitely the huge honor of being able to lead the team as captain at our home European Championship last summer!” Gundogan wrote. “After all these years, we finally managed to make the nation proud again – I’m very happy that I was able to play a part in that.”
He also opened up about his reasons for stepping back from international duties: “But even before the tournament, I felt a certain tiredness in my body and also in my head, which made me think. And the number of games at club and national level is not coming down.”
Despite retiring from the national team, Gundogan remains optimistic about Germany’s future prospects: “I will definitely continue to be a fan of this national team and I really hope that we can continue the upward trend together – and then there is nothing to stop us from being one of the prime contenders for the title at the 2026 World Cup. We have a fantastic coach, a really strong squad and a great team spirit,” he added.
Currently playing for Barcelona, Gundogan joined the La Liga giants as a free agent in July 2023. He has contributed five goals and 14 assists in the 2023-24 season. However, uncertainty surrounds his future with the club due to player registration issues.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
