Midfield star Ilkay Gündogan is hoping after the Champions League triumph with English soccer champions Manchester City to complete his trophy collection with a success with the German national team.
In this regard, the 32-year-old looked forward to the home EM 2024 in a “Sport Bild” interview with mixed feelings.
“With the Champions League title, I’ve finally fulfilled my biggest dream at club level. But every title win still makes you hungrier. It’s clear that I’m still missing the title with the national team. That’s certainly not impossible in 2024, but we are still have a lot of work ahead of us,” said the 66-time international.
Just a few days before the success in the final of the premier class in Istanbul against Inter Milan (1-0), the Citizens captain had cautiously assessed the chances of the team of national coach Hansi Flick. “At the moment we are certainly not among the absolute top favourites,” said Gündogan, also with a view to the World Cup disaster in Qatar last year: “Maybe we should bake smaller rolls.”
Gundogan raves about Manchester City
The memories of the moment of success on the Bosporus could serve as motivation. “The seconds after the final whistle were definitely the most beautiful and emotional moments of my career so far,” said the native of Gelsenkirchen.
After the success in Europe’s most important club competition, with which the team of star coach Pep Guardiola made the treble perfect, Gündogan does not see his club as having reached the end of the path they have taken: “Basically, this team can do anything in the next few years. Nationally, I would say that the club is already in the middle of shaping an era.”