German football captain Ilkay Gundogan has announced his retirement from international football. The 33-year-old midfielder, who currently plays for Barcelona, made the decision after leading Germany at Euro 2024, where they reached the quarterfinals before losing to eventual champions Spain.
Gundogan, who will turn 34 in October, expressed his decision in a statement released by the German Football Association. “After a few weeks of reflection, I have come to the conclusion that it is time to end my national team career,” he said. “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.”
Gundogan highlighted the honor of captaining Germany at the recent European Championship as a personal highlight. “My highlight was clearly the huge honor of being able to lead the team as captain at our home European Championship last summer,” he added.
Gundogan’s international career saw him miss out on Germany’s 2014 World Cup triumph due to a back injury and also had to sit out Euro 2016 after suffering a dislocated kneecap. Despite these setbacks, he has become a key player for his country, earning his first cap in 2011 against Belgium.
Gundogan’s retirement marks the end of an era for German football. He will be remembered as a talented midfielder who captained his country with pride and dedication.
