Gundogan Honoured To Captain Germany In Euro 2024 On Home Ground

Ilkay Gundogan expressed his immense pride in leading Germany as they host Euro 2024. The three-time champions will host their first major international tournament since the 2006 World Cup, where they finished third after losing to Italy in the semi-finals. Julian Nagelsmann's team aims to improve their recent performance, having faced back-to-back World Cup group-stage exits and a round of 16 defeat by England at Euro 2020.

Germany's final two warm-up games resulted in a goalless draw with Ukraine and a narrow 2-1 win over Greece. The team has conceded at least one goal in each of their last 12 major tournament games, last keeping a clean sheet against Slovakia in the round of 16 at Euro 2016. The tournament will kick off at Munich Football Arena on Friday against Scotland, a team Germany has defeated in both previous major tournament encounters at the 1986 World Cup and the 1992 European Championship.

Former Manchester City captain Gundogan, who led his club to an historic treble in the 2022-23 season, hopes to inspire his nation on home soil. "It's a huge honour, a huge privilege to be captain," said the Barcelona midfielder. "I have experienced an awful lot in my career, lots of great times but also lots of difficult times. I kind of know what it takes to be successful."

Gundogan emphasized the importance of leading both on and off the pitch. "All I can do is lead from the front," he stated. "The people of Germany, not just the fans, deserve some success." He acknowledged the challenge posed by Scotland, noting their quality and Premier League stars but expressed confidence in his team's potential.

Gundogan also highlighted the impact of head coach Julian Nagelsmann, who is preparing for his first major international tournament since replacing Hansi Flick last September. The 36-year-old aims to become the first Germany boss to win a competition at his first attempt since Jupp Derwall at the 1980 European Championship.

"He has brought structure to the team," Gundogan observed. "He has clear ideas about what he wants, but still, there is a calmness about how the coaching team deals with the squad." He added that this confidence from the coaching staff reflects well on the players.

Looking Ahead

Gundogan believes that playing a tournament in their own country is a unique opportunity that feels special. He hopes that the support from fans will carry them along but stressed that they must earn this trust on the pitch. "We haven't done ourselves justice in recent tournaments," he admitted. "We hope this time that we benefit somewhat from the euphoria in our home country and the support of the fans."

The midfielder concluded by expressing confidence in their preparation and potential to deliver strong performances. "We have the right set-up and are capable of producing our best," he said, aiming to pay back the confidence placed in them by their coach.