Ilkay Gündogan, Germany’s captain and Barcelona midfielder, announces his retirement from international football, ending a distinguished career with 82 caps. Image: Sports Day
(The Post News)- Ilkay Gündogan announced on social media that he is retiring from international football after reflecting on the decision for a few weeks. He expressed pride in having played 82 matches for the German national team, a milestone he never imagined reaching when he debuted in 2011.
Gündogan’s retirement follows in the footsteps of Thomas Müller and Toni Kroos. Kroos permanently retired from international football after Euro 2024, and just last month, Müller also announced the end of his career with the German national team.
Gundogan, who turns 34 in October, captained the German squad that advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2024 European Championship but ultimately fell short against eventual winners Spain in overtime.
Germany showed that they are a force to be reckoned with once more despite the agony of that loss, following the humiliation of two consecutive World Cup group-stage exits and a last-16 loss to England at Euro 2020.
The Barcelona midfielder on socials stated, “My highlight was definitely the huge honour of being able to lead the team as captain at our home European Championship last summer.”
Before heading to Barcelona last year, Gundogan, who won five Premier League titles and the Champions League in seven seasons with Manchester City, acknowledged that he was suffering from a hectic schedule ahead of Euro 2024.
“I started to feel a little exhausted, both mentally and physically, which made me stop and consider. And there won’t be any decrease in the quality of club and national games,” he declared. “I will undoubtedly be a supporter of this national team and fervently hope that we can maintain our current upward trajectory. If that happens, nothing will stand in our way of becoming a top contender for the World Cup triumph in 2026. We have an outstanding coach, a formidable team, and a strong sense of unity.”
In October 2011, Gundogan made his Germany debut against Belgium; however, a back injury kept him out of the World Cup victory in 2014.
A dislocated kneecap sidelined him from Euro 2016. Throughout his career, he participated in four major tournaments and made history as the first football player of Turkish heritage to captain the German national team. Notably, he was not included in the squad for Euro 2012.
Julian Nagelsmann, the German coach, emphasised that Ilkay was a fantastic captain and that he would have preferred to work with him going forward.
He added that there is always room for him to return to the national team, but we respect his choice and wish him the best possible future in both his personal and professional life.
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