With a letter Gündogan expressed his pride in being the first captain of the German national team with a migrant background: the message a few hours before the opening match of EURO 2024 between Germany and Scotland.
Ilkay Gündogan prepares to face the European Championships 2024 as captain of the Germany. The Barcelona midfielder will wear the armband of the German national team and a few hours before the debut of Julian Nagelsmann’s selection he wrote an open letter to all the fans, in which he expressed his pride in being the first captain of the DFB with a migratory background. In his message, the footballer underlined the need to avoid divisions in society and fight together for the dream of winning EURO 2024.
A few hours before the opening match between Germany and Scotland, which will be played in Munich, Gündogan told his emotions to Sports Bild: “With kick-off tonight at 9pm, more than one dream comes true for me: leading my national team on the pitch as captain in a home tournament, just the thought gives me goosebumps” Gundogan expressed himself on a very strong theme such as that of the multiculturalism of the squad: “I am proud to be the first captain son of migrants in a major tournament.”
Ilkay Gundogan’s letter to the fans.
Gundogan’s letter to the fans: “Help us make a dream come true”
The player of Turkish origins has faced criticism from some sectors of German society due to his origins, but in his letter he underlined that cultural diversity is a strong point for the German team. “I can lead a special team because it is made up of many different cultures and countries. These factors will make us strong in 2024. Football has the power to unite people.”
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The midfielder took the opportunity to underline that Germany lives in an era in which social divisions are increasingly marked: “We live in times where multiple fronts are being built. People don’t listen to each other anymore. There is division in our society. We want to contribute to greater cohesion in Germany so that people can be proud of the German team.”
Referring to the camp, Gündogan was clear: “We want to become European champions. But even if we don’t win the title in the end, it can still be a good tournament.” He compared the current situation to the 2006 World Cup, an event he described as a “fairytale”, despite Germany finishing in third place: “In 2006, when I was 15, I frequented the fan zones. That summer we had a fairytale celebration, even if we only finished third. We must say clearly that some teams are more stable and more united than us.”
Finally, he asked the fans for unconditional support: “With the fantastic support of our fans, we can win this European Championship on home soil. We want to be good hosts, a cosmopolitan club and hopefully champions on the pitch. Help us realize our dream together.”
EURO 2024, Germany’s group
Germany has experienced a moment of change after the arrival of Julian Nagelsmann and wants to erase from memory the elimination in the groups of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, the second in a row in the World Cup, and the one in the last European Championship in the round of 16.
Germany is the top seed in Group A, rounded out by Scotland, Hungary and Switzerland.
