DFB needs new captain
İlkay Gündoğan resigns from the national team
İlkay Gündoğan no longer plays in the national football team. He played 82 international matches and led the DFB team as captain at the home European Championship – but now he is calling it a day. The 33-year-old, however, wants to continue his club career.
As national coach, Julian Nagelsmann will have to appoint a new captain to lead the national soccer team to the 2026 World Cup. The previous incumbent Ilkay Gündogan is ending his career in the DFB team after missing the title at the home European Championship. At the age of 33 and after 82 international matches for Germany, Gündoğan surprisingly retires from the national jersey.
“After a few weeks of reflection, I came to the decision that it was time to end my national team career. I look back with great pride on 82 international matches for my home country – a number that I could never have imagined. when I made my debut for the senior national team in 2011,” Gündoğan wrote on Instagram. “My highlight was clearly the huge honor that I was able to lead the team as captain at our home European Championships last summer!”
Nagelsmann is “very proud”
Nagelsmann praised him as an “outstanding captain”. “I am very proud that İlkay was our captain. He often shone himself, and even more often he let others in the national team shine. We will miss his fine foot, his good ideas,” said Nagelsmann in a statement from the DFB. The national coach emphasized that he would have liked to continue working with Gündoğan, but his decision was respected.
“For me and for us he was an important contact person, the exchange with him was enriching, even on topics outside of football. He is an intelligent, reflective and very warm person,” Nagelsmann praised his former captain. Gündoğan played a “fantastic European Championship for Germany and I was always fascinated and excited by his intelligence, as well as his security on the ball and his clever and clear passes.”
Leaving Barcelona is looming
The experienced midfielder will continue to play professionally, currently for FC Barcelona. However, there is speculation that he will leave the Spanish top club this summer. There is currently no specific goal.
After the European Championship exit against Spain, Nagelsmann assumed that he could continue to plan with Gündoğan for the start of the Nations League in September. “Of course I'll be happy if he continues. As of now, I'm assuming he'll still be available,” said the national coach the day after the quarter-final defeat against Spain. But Nagelsmann also added at the beginning of July: “In the end, İlkay should decide and announce it himself.” The decision was now different.
Gündoğan's reasoning: “Even before the tournament, I felt a certain tiredness in my body, but also in my head, which made me think. And the games at club and country level are not getting any less.”
Völler praises “team spirit” and “love of the game”
Rudi Völler also praised Gündoğan effusively when he said goodbye. “İlkay is a great footballer, he impressed the whole of Germany at the home European Championships with his unique skills on the ball and made the team shine with his great game intelligence and his extraordinary running routes and passes,” enthused the sports director.
Völler said farewell: “Many people could look up to him and take his professionalism and attitude as an example. With his team spirit and his love for the game, İlkay was an exemplary captain on and off the pitch and was always an important contact for Julian and me . And as such we will miss him.”
Nagelsmann also hoped for Gündoğan because “a pillar is already falling away” in Toni Kroos. Kroos completely ended his professional career after the European Championships. Thomas Müller had also already decided not to play for the national team anymore. It is currently unclear whether Manuel Neuer will continue. DFB sports director Völler has announced a timely decision on Neuer's future in the national football team. “It will certainly be before the nomination, which will be the week after next, by then there will be a decision about Manuel,” said Völler on Sunday on Sport1. Nagelsmann wants to rejuvenate and adapt the squad with a view to the Nations League and qualification for the 2026 World Cup finals in the USA, Canada and Mexico. Gündoğan should actually continue to play an important role – just like he did during the home European Championships.
“For the first time we didn’t just face headwinds”
The national coach also personally attested to Gündoğan’s good European Championship performance. The midfielder also received a lot of public recognition. “I was extremely happy that he didn't just face headwinds for the first time as a national player. He is a quiet leader who has a lot of experience. He has a good feel for a group,” said Nagelsmann after the European Championships.
Gündoğan made his national team debut on October 11, 2011 in Düsseldorf in a 3-1 win against Belgium. He came on as a substitute for captain Philipp Lahm in the European Championship qualifier. He scored 19 goals for Germany. Due to numerous injuries, the successful club player Gündoğan missed, among other things, the 2014 World Cup triumph in Brazil.
