Gündogan on criticism: "I'd be lying if I said it didn't bother me"

Ilkay Gündogan has faced criticism ahead of Euro 2024, with some fans calling for Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann to bench his captain.

At a press conference on Thursday, Gündogan was asked about the criticism and admitted that it's something he's given some thought to.

"I would be lying if I said it didn't bother me at all. I am a reflective person who questions myself. The important thing is that sometimes you can be bad and have bad periods," Gündogan said, adding:

“To be honest, there were always discussions about me in the last tournaments, whether I belonged in the first eleven or not. It's a process you have to deal with and I hope I can play to the best of my ability now.”

Despite a 2-1 win over Greece in their final warm-up game, Gündogna admitted that Germany's performance left a lot to be desired.

"That was a finger pointing and a warning to the team. It was better that it happened there than in the opening game," he said.

“Every team can defend, but they can also be good on the ball. It showed us what we can't do wrong. It felt like we weren't there in the first half. Now we have to build on the second half. I can do a lot better.”