Ilkay Gündogan will no longer lead the national team onto the field as captain. The FC Barcelona attacker is ending his DFB career at the age of 33.
As national coach, Julian Nagelsmann will have to choose a new captain to lead the national football team to the 2026 World Cup. The current incumbent, Ilkay Gündogan, is ending his career in the DFB team after missing out on winning the title at the home European Championship. Gündogan is surprisingly retiring from the national jersey at the age of 33 and after 82 international matches for Germany.
Gündogan goes
“After a few weeks of reflection, I have come to the conclusion that it is time to end my international career. I look back with great pride on 82 international matches for my home country – a number that I could never have dreamed of when I made my debut for the senior national team in 2011,” Gündogan wrote on Instagram. “My highlight was definitely the huge honor of being able to lead the team as captain at our home European Championships last summer!”
The experienced midfielder will continue to play as a professional, currently for FC Barcelona. However, there is speculation that he will leave the Spanish top club in the summer.
“See you soon,” said Nagelsmann after the European Championship exit
After the European Championship defeat against Spain, Nagelsmann still assumed that he could continue to plan with Gündogan for the start of the Nations League in September. “Of course I’m happy if he continues. As things stand, I also assume that he will 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, Ilkay should decide that himself and announce it himself.” The decision was now different.
Nagelsmann was also hoping for Gündogan because in Toni Kroos “a pillar is already gone”. Kroos had completely ended his professional career after the European Championship. Thomas Müller had also already decided not to play for the national team anymore. 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. Gündogan should actually continue to play an important role – just as he did during the home European Championship.
DFB debut 2011 – substituted for Lahm
The national coach also personally confirmed that Gündogan had performed well at the European Championships. The midfielder also received a lot of public recognition. “I was extremely pleased that for the first time he didn’t just face opposition 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.
Gündogan made his debut for the national team 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 Gündogan missed the 2014 World Cup triumph in Brazil, among other things.
Source: Stern
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