Ilkay Gündogan announced retirement from International Football

Ilkay Gündogan is a German professional football player who plays as a midfielder for FC Barcelona in the Spanish La Liga. In an official statement released on social media yesterday, he announced his retirement from the German National team. Ilkay Gündogan has made 82 appearances for Germany. He also captained the German National Team in the recently concluded European Championships where Germany lost to eventual Champions Spain in the Quarter-finals. In the statement he said: 

“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.My highlight was definitely the huge honour of being able to lead the team as captain at our home European Championships last summer! 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. But even before the tournament, I felt a certain tiredness in my body and also in my head, which got me thinking. And the games at club and national level are not getting any less. 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 closest contenders for the title at the 2026 World Cup. We have a fantastic coach, a really strong team and a great team spirit.

Thanks to all the fans, staff, coaches and teammates who have accompanied me on this journey.

It was an honor!

Thank you, Germany! 

Your Ilkay”

The German Football federation have also expressed their gratitude towards ?lkay Gündo?an for his service to the country. They released a statement saying: 

“We will miss you as our captain and teammate. As our friend, you always had a secure place in the team. Thank you for everything, Illy!”

Ilkay Gündogan is a very experienced player who has been very influential for both club and country. Therefore, finding a replacement for him would not be an easy task for German manager Julian Nagelsmann. This isn’t an ideal situation for the Germany as its important to have experienced players in the squad who have the ability to come clutch in critical situations. Since Germany had announced Joshua Kimmich (FC Bayern München) as the vice-captain during the Euros, he might naturally take over the captaincy, albeit a new role for him. So, it’s not just about Gundogan’s contributions to the assists or goals, Germany will also miss his leadership skills in the upcoming Football World Cup in 2026.