Source: USA TODAY Sports/Vincent Carchietta
[Saba Sports News] Ilkay Gundogan recently announced on social media that he is retiring from the German national team, bringing an end to his 13-year international career. The 33-year-old Gundogan made his debut for the German national team in 2011 and has since made 82 appearances, scoring 19 goals and providing 9 assists. Gundogan stated, “After several weeks of contemplation, I have decided that it is time to end my international career. Looking back at the 82 international matches I played for my country, I feel incredibly proud. This number was unimaginable when I first represented the national team in 2011. My highlight, of course, was captaining the team in our home country during the European Championship this summer! After all these years, we have finally made the nation proud again, and I am delighted to have been part of it. I will definitely continue to support the national team as a fan, and I sincerely hope that we can continue our progress together, so that we can become one of the top contenders for the 2026 World Cup. I would like to express my gratitude to all the fans, staff, coaches, and teammates who accompanied me on this journey. It has been an honor.”