Galatasaray · Euro Championship · Midfielder · #20 · Germany · 35 yrs
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Bayern Munich are heavy favourites to win the Bundesliga again this term and Ilkay Gundogan thinks it will be difficult for the challengers. The post Gundogan tips Bayern to ‘march through Bundesliga again this season’ appeared first on SoccerNews.
Treble winning Man City captain Ilkay Gundogan has praised new manager Enzo MarescaGundogan compares Maresca to Pep Guardiola in terms of intelligence and man-managementEx Germany midfielder says 99% ...
Former captain Ilkay Gundogan says new Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has "amazing qualities" and praised the Italian's "human side". Gundogan was City skipper during the Treble-winning season in 2023, when Maresca was assistant to Pep Guardiola. On Monday, former Chelsea boss Maresca signed a three-year deal at Etihad Stadium to succeed Guardiola.
After suffering a shocking 2026 World Cup elimination against Paraguay, Jurgen Klopp stated that Germany's soccer federation "100% have to change a few things." Germany suffered one of the most shocking defeats in its storied history as Paraguay punched its ticket to the Round of 16 following a thrilling 1-1 draw that was ultimately settled in a penalty shootout. Following the early 2026 World Cup departure, legendary manager Jurgen Klopp delivered a blunt message regarding the future, claiming that the DFB “100% have to change a few things.“ Speaking to MagentaTV as a television pundit, Klopp reflected on the squad’s systemic issues and the agonizing defeat suffered at Houston Stadium: “There are 500,000 ways to win a football match. You just have to find one. There was only one goal, one dream, and it has burst. It was dramatic. We didn’t function.“ While Germany dominated the tempo and controlled 75% of the possession, Klopp pinpointed Die Mannschaft‘s recurring struggles to translate individual quality into clinical attacking production, noting that the team “created too little.” Out of Germany’s 21 total shots across 120 grueling minutes, only six found the target, with Paraguayan goalkeeper Orlando Gill standing tall to anchor the upset. The Head of Global Soccer for Red Bull also highlighted the psychological weight of the match, pointing out that the immense pressure sat entirely on the European giants. “Paraguay had the opportunity to achieve something. Germany had the pressure to achieve something. Everyone in the stadium thought: Now they’re going to turn it around! But we didn’t. We let them off the hook,” Klopp said. Jurgen Klopp commentates with Julian Nagelsmann and Thomas Muller after game between Germany and Curacao. With 2026 likely marking the final World Cup cycle for several veteran mainstays like Manuel Neuer and Antonio Rudiger, Klopp emphasized that a complete overhaul is required at the foundational level: “We can talk about the DFB. We one hundred percent have to change a few things. We can start with the U10s and wait a few years to see what comes out at the top.“ Whether Klopp will be part of that eventual rebuilding process remains to be seen, as Nagelsmann firmly stated after the match that he has no intention of resigning from his post. With the former Liverpool boss locked into his corporate Red Bull role through 2029 and Nagelsmann’s managerial contract running through 2028, any immediate shakeup in the German dugout would require a heavy-handed intervention from the DFB board. The disallowed goal to Tah, a bad call according to Klopp The defining controversy of the Round of 32 clash came in extra time with Jonathan Tah’s disallowed goal. As the center-back rose to power home a header that would have given Germany a 2-1 lead in the 104th minute, VAR instructed referee Jalal Jayed to review a potential foul on goalkeeper Orlando Gill, whose path was deemed obstructed by Waldemar Anton. The minor interference was enough for the referee to waive off the goal, paving the way for Germany’s eventual shootout demise, a decision Klopp fiercely disputed: “If this goal is illegal, Arsenal won’t become English champions. We win the game if that goal stands. The referee made a clear mistake!“ Reactions across social media echoed Klopp’s frustration, frequently drawing comparisons to the physical nature of modern Premier League officiating. Former Germany international Ilkay Gundogan shared a similar sentiment online, pairing his frustration over the call with a dose of harsh self-criticism regarding the team’s flat performance on the pitch. Die heutige Team Leistung braucht man definitiv nicht schönreden… Aber was war das bitte für eine VAR Entscheidung? In der Premier League würde man darüber nur müde lächeln – vor allem eine Entscheidung zurückzunehmen. Natürlich aber auch so brutal enttäuschend. Leider hat man…— Ilkay Gündogan (@IlkayGuendogan) June 29, 2026
The list of players missing the 2026 World Cup has Ilkay Gündogan, who isn't going to represent Germany. There are many players with huge talent competing at the 2026 World Cup. However, Germany will not have a midfielder like İlkay Gündoğan present in their team for this edition. The reason behind Gündoğan’s absence in Germany is simple: he retired from the national team. At Euro 2024, when his country hosted the tournament, many players said goodbye, with the loss to Spain in the quarterfinals being their final match. About his retirement, the player wrote a message on social media. Gündoğan said: “I look back with great pride on 82 caps for my home country, a number I could never have dreamed of. My highlight was definitely the huge honor of captaining the team at our home European Championship last summer! After all those years, we finally managed to make the nation proud again. I’m very happy that I was able to play a part in that.” Gündoğan’s career with Germany While the trophy case with Germany does not look very full, his career has been fantastic. Gündoğan displayed all his qualities from the first match he played for his country in 2011. Gündogan was honored next to Müller and Neuer (Maja Hitij/Getty Images for VW) A very common theme in his career has been the unlucky number of injuries he has endured, which may be one reason why he never lifted a major honor with Germany, as a back issue kept him out in 2014. While the creative midfielder was part of the teams in Russia and Qatar that were eliminated in the group stage, Gündoğan finished his time representing Germany with a respectable 82 matches, in which he scored 19 goals, an impressive total for someone in his position. Gündoğan’s club career Gündoğan has been playing for Galatasaray since last year, but he has also featured for some of the best clubs in the world. After spells at Bochum, 1. FC Nürnberg, and a great run at Borussia Dortmund, where he won the Bundesliga, the midfielder moved to the Premier League. At Manchester City, he enjoyed his best years, including a Champions League title, the first in the club’s history, and 304 matches in that shirt. He then spent a year at Barcelona before returning to Manchester City for one more season. His club career currently stands at 660 matches.
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