Ilkay Gundogan retires from International football amid major decisions
Barcelona midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has announced his retirement from international football, marking a significant decision during a summer of potential changes for the player.
Reports suggest Gundogan might also leave Barcelona, with his former club Manchester City being a possible destination.
Gundogan’s decision comes after Germany’s disappointing European Championship campaign, where they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by eventual champions Spain. Despite captaining Julian Nagelsmann’s side through the tournament, Gundogan has decided to call time on his international career.
In a statement on social media platform X, Gundogan expressed his pride and gratitude:
“Dear Football Germany, after a few weeks of consideration, I have come to the conclusion that it is time to end my national team career. 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, and I’m very happy that I was able to play a part in that.”
Gundogan also mentioned feeling a certain tiredness in both his body and mind, which contributed to his decision to retire from international football.
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Gundogan’s Career with Germany
The 33-year-old midfielder played across various age grades for the German national teams before making his senior debut in October 2011 in a 3-1 Euro qualifier win over Belgium. Over his international career, he earned 82 caps and scored 19 goals. Unfortunately, a back injury kept him out of the 2014 World Cup, which Germany won.
Future at Club Level
Apart from his international retirement, Gundogan faces significant decisions regarding his club future. He is expected to leave Barcelona this transfer window as the club aims to save his wages to address their Financial Fair Play (FFP) issues.
There have been strong links to a return to Manchester City, where Gundogan previously served as captain. According to Fabrizio Romano, Manchester City are open to reintegrating him into their squad.
Gundogan’s Statement in Full
Gundogan’s statement reflects his pride in representing Germany and his hopes for the national team’s future success:
“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 honour! Thank you, Germany! Your Ilkay.”
