Why ex-BVB star Gündogan keeps NRW president Wüst waiting | OneFootball

Originally, Ilkay Gündogan, who was a Black and Yellow from 2011 to 2016, had an appointment with NRW Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst today. However, the footballer had to cancel this at short notice, which is directly related to his profession. Here are the details behind Gündogan's snub of his "state father".

As a native of Gelsenkirchen, who even briefly played in the youth of FC Schalke 04, Ilkay Gündogan came via VfL Bochum and 1. FC Nürnberg in 2011 to Borussia Dortmund. After five years at BVB, during which he became a national player and even captain of the national team, he moved on to Manchester City, for two seasons to FC Barcelona and most recently back to Pep Guardiola.

However, Guardiola no longer wants to rely on the creative playmaker, who for a long time was one of Pep Guardiola's favorite students. In search of a new club, Ilkay Gündogan now has the option to move to his parents' homeland without much notice. Galatasaray Istanbul is interested in him and to finalize the deal, Gündogan has to travel to the Bosphorus for a medical check today. This means that the appointment with Hendrik Wüst has to wait and is cancelled for today.

Photo: Getty Images

New club takes precedence for Ilkay Gündogan

He was invited to the Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia because Ilkay Gündogan was supposed to receive the Mevlüde-Genç-Medal today. This award, named after the "Ambassador of Peace" Mevlüde Genç who lives in Solingen, has been given annually since 2019 to people and institutions that have made a special contribution to tolerance and coexistence of different cultures.

Mevlüde Genç lost two daughters, a niece and two granddaughters in the xenophobic arson attack in Solingen on May 23, 1993, but subsequently worked intensively for societal reconciliation and demonstratively adopted German citizenship in 1995. Genç has been honored several times for her commitment, including the Federal Cross of Merit and the Order of Merit of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Ilkay Gündogan will now receive the medal named after her, not only because as the first captain of the national team with a migration background he is a role model for many young people. He also regularly raises his voice "against hate, exclusion and racism", thus sending "a powerful signal" against populism and for coexistence in society, according to the already known justification. The former Borussia Dortmund player will now receive this medal at a later date. Today, the further planning of his career takes precedence.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.