The Once and Future Captain
Breaking Down the Journey of İlkay Gündoğan
The Sword in the Stone
İlkay Gündoğan, born in 1990 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany to Turkish parents is a story of defying the odds. He was never supposed to be as successful as he is, much less lead one of the greatest single-season campaigns in football history.
But he did and he we are on the other side of his historic treble win as the dust settles. I thought it would be interesting to take a look not only at the player and what makes him so good as a leader and footballer, but what makes him tick as a man.
Because Gündoğan’s story is one of numerous, immense setbacks and eventual triumphs. A lesser player—a weaker man—might have folded under the pressure, but he never lost resolve.
And just as pressure turns coal into diamonds…
… pressure turned Gündoğan from an afterthought into an inevitability.
His boyhood club, like many in Gelsenkirchen, was Schalke 04. He had a stint playing for the club when he was 8 years old but had to cut it short due to growth problems.
This began what would become a pattern of roadblocks in Gündoğan’s life and career. Just when he was getting ahead, something would set him back. But as he demonstrated all throughout his career, the man is made of stronger stuff and dusted himself off to get back to doing what he loves.
Schalke offered him another chance at the age of 13, but Gündoğan couldn’t bear the thought of not making it again with his boyhood club and rejected the move. Of the incident, he said:
“It was a huge dream of mine to be able to play for Schalke. For it to be over so quickly was not easy to take.”
He opted instead to come up through VfL Bochum’s youth academy before signing for Nürnberg in 2009.
His time at Nürnberg would prove good for his development, as Gündoğan would begin to attract attention from German giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. It was the Yellow Wall that ultimately signed him in 2011 where he would work and excel under the tutelage of Jürgen Klopp.
Making History
It was here at Dortmund that Gündoğan really began to shine. He slotted well into Klopp’s midfield, cementing his place into the starting XI by demonstrating his supreme vision of the pitch and eye for an incisive pass.
In the German’s iconic gegenpress style, players in Klopp’s team would crowd the opposition as soon as the other team gained possession of the ball. This meant extreme pressure on the ball—a sort of organized chaos on the pitch—where players would win possession back in higher positions up the pitch, allowing for quick passes into the final third and 18-yard box.
Gündoğan excelled here, breaking up defensive lines with his quick through-balls to the likes of Lewandowski and Reus where they could score. Klopp’s intense counter-press system allowed intelligent and quick-thinking players like Gündoğan to show their skills on the ball and their ability to find the right pass or move their way into a dangerous attacking position.
With Dortmund, Gündoğan was instrumental in helping them win their first domestic double and reach the 2013 Champions League final.
At BVB, Gündoğan established himself as a world class talent, one that could change the tide of games and be instrumental in a title-winning side. And he caught the eyes of Bundesliga contemporary Pep Guardiola.
The King
Here we enter the phase of Gündoğan’s career most are probably familiar with: his time at Manchester City. Though it wasn’t without its own struggles.
He arrived in Manchester on crutches, having suffered a dislocated knee in training. But Pep saw the great player underneath the injury record and made him his first signing since arriving at the Etihad.
He made a good start with the Blues, but was injured only a few months after his signing with a torn ACL. This would be a huge blow to any player.
Plenty of athletes are never the same after an ACL tear, and I’m sure the weight of that was not lost on Gündoğan. But as he did many times before, he bided his time, listened to the physios, and came back better than before.
He was an integral midfield force for Guardiola’s side in the 21–22 season, having his own Agüero moment after scoring a brace against Aston Villa in the second half to clinch the Premier League title.
In the 22–23 season he captained City to a treble, playing not only a vital leadership role, but essentially dragging them across the line in some crucial games.
His brace in the FA Cup Manchester Derby Final was a breathtaking display. The fastest goal ever in an FA Cup Final and another goal that led the Blues to a decisive victory over their rivals to clinch the second out of 3 available trophies.
And we all know about that 3rd trophy.
Barcelona have a great player on their hands who has more to give in the upcoming seasons. Gündoğan began his career overlooked for his slow growth and doubted for his injury record.
And he became what few players in history ever achieve.
A captain, a king, on top of the world.
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I recently had the pleasure of featuring on Vyom Nanavati’s podcast “The Sports Dome” on YouTube. We discuss 3 key transfers that will affect the upcoming Premier League season.
You can find the episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7VQA-Lr45U&t=724s&ab_channel=TheSportsDome
