Former German national team captain Ilkay Gündogan expressed critical views regarding the influence of expert opinions in football. Speaking to Spiegel, the 35-year-old stated that he knows professionals who have used halftime breaks to Google their names and research what has been written about their performance so far. While admitting these instances were isolated, he pointed to them as evidence of how much importance some players place on these external comments.
Gündogan stressed that he cannot understand experts who merely deliver damaging criticism. “Some people want to be the stars themselves these days. For players, that can have consequences,” Gündogan remarked. He found unsubstantiated criticism upsetting, noting that it drives players down, especially those who are sensitive. “And believe me: many of us footballers are sensitive.”
The former captain also took issue with TV expert Jürgen Klopp’s assessment of Bundestrainer Julian Nagelsmann’s approach to the World Cup-a comment regarding Nagelsmann “still” making the lineup decisions. Gündogan labeled Klopp’s remark a “clumsy phrase” and “somewhat unfortunate.” However, he countered this criticism by adding, “Unlike players, coaches cannot be that sensitive. Julian is not.”
Gündogan led the German Football Association (DFB) squad during Euro 2024. He holds a record of 82 international caps and participated in four major tournaments for the DFB. During his time at Manchester City, he was part of the team that won the Champions League in 2023 and secured five Premier League titles. He has played under various highly successful coaches, including Pep Guardiola, Jürgen Klopp, Joachim Löw, and Hansi Flick. Since 2025, the central midfielder has been playing for the Turkish club Galatasaray Istanbul.
