Germany captain Gundogan retires from international football

Ilkay Gundogan has announced his retirement from international football after captaining Germany on home soil at Euro 2024.

Gundogan captained Germany in all five of their matches as they reached the quarter-finals of their home tournament, ultimately suffering a 2-1 extra-time defeat against Spain.

The midfielder was initially handed the captain’s armband by Hansi Flick in the absence of the injured Manuel Neuer last year, retaining it under new head coach Julian Nagelsmann despite Neuer’s return to fitness.

Gundogan played a total of 82 games for his country, scoring 19 goals including two at major tournaments – versus Japan at the 2022 World Cup and Hungary at this year’s Euros.

Amid rampant speculation over his future at club level, the Barcelona man – who has been linked with a return to former club Manchester City – confirmed his international career was over on Monday.

In a statement posted to X, Gundogan wrote: “After a few weeks of reflection, I have come to the conclusion that it is time to end my national team career.

Als Kapitän hast Du uns durch unsere Heim-EM geführt. Ins Viertelfinale und zurück in die Herzen der Fans. Mit Deinen einzigartigen Fähigkeiten am Ball, mit Deinem vorbildlichen Teamgeist auf und neben dem Platz, mit Deiner ansteckenden Liebe zum Spiel. Vor allem aber mit Deinem… pic.twitter.com/OpSmbogbZv

— DFB-Team (@DFB_Team) August 19, 2024

“I look back with great pride on 82 caps for my home country – a number I could never have dreamed of when I made my senior debut in 2011.

“My highlight was clearly the huge honour of being able to lead the team as captain at our home European Championships this summer!

“After all these years, we have finally succeeded in making the nation proud again – the fact that I was able to play a part in this makes me very happy.

“But even before the tournament, I felt a certain tiredness in my body, and also in my head, which made me think, and the games at club level are not getting less.

“I will definitely remain a fan of this national team and very much hope that the upward trend can be continued together, and there is nothing to stop us from being one of the closest title contenders at the 2026 World Cup.”

Liebes Fußballdeutschland,

nach einigen Wochen Bedenkzeit bin ich zu dem Entschluss gekommen, dass es an der Zeit ist, meine Nationalmannschaftskarriere zu beenden.

Ich blicke mit sehr viel Stolz auf 82 Länderspiele für mein Heimatland zurück – eine Zahl, die ich mir so hätte… pic.twitter.com/IsU4iYCxq0

— Ilkay Gündogan (@IlkayGuendogan) August 19, 2024

Gundogan recorded one assist at Euro 2024, as well as averaging 32.8 successful passes per 90 minutes, 25.9 of which were in the opposition half.

His international retirement comes amid reports suggesting he will be leaving Barcelona after just one season with the Catalan giants, who he joined on a free transfer in June 2023.

Gundogan is reportedly attracting interest from clubs in Turkiye and Saudi Arabia as well as City, where he won five Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four EFL Cups and the Champions League between 2016 and 2023.

The former Borussia Dortmund midfielder’s last domestic appearance for City saw him score twice in last year’s FA Cup final victory over Manchester United, with his first goal being the fastest scored in FA Cup final history, coming just 12 seconds after kick-off.