Germany Captain Ilkay Gundogan Retires from International Football
Germany’s captain, Ilkay Gundogan, has officially retired from international football following his leadership at Euro 2024. The 33-year-old midfielder announced his decision on Monday after a period of reflection.
“After a few weeks of consideration, I have decided it is time to end my national team career,” Gundogan stated through a release from the German Football Association. “I look back with immense pride on 82 international matches for my country—a milestone I never imagined reaching when I made my debut for the senior team in 2011.
“Gundogan, who will turn 34 in October, played a crucial role in Germany’s journey to the Euro 2024 quarter-finals, where they were eliminated by the eventual champions, Spain, after extra time.
“My proudest moment was undoubtedly the honor of captaining the team during our home European Championship last summer,” added the Barcelona midfielder.
Gundogan first represented Germany in an October 2011 match against Belgium. Despite his long career, he missed the 2014 World Cup victory due to a back injury and was sidelined from Euro 2016 with a dislocated kneecap.
