Germany needs leaders from diverse migratory backgrounds to accurately reflect the country’s current society, national team captain Ilkay Gündogan said on Thursday.
Gündogan, whose parents are Turkish, was speaking days after an outcry over a poll by public broadcaster ARD which showed a fifth of Germans wanted more white players in the national team.
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Coach Julian Nagelsmann, preparing his team for this month’s Euro 2024 at home, and several players said the poll was racist.
“I know that people like me are needed in leadership positions because it reflects the new reality of Germany,” Gündogan told Der Spiegel magazine.
“We may look different, but we are also German. I know I can be a role model. But it’s not something I want to emphasize too much.”
The poll, commissioned by ARD, a public broadcaster with rights to Euro 2024 from June 14, indicates that around a fifth of respondents want more white players in the national team.
“I don’t want to take myself too seriously,” said Gündogan, born and raised in Germany and named captain in 2023.
“I didn’t become team captain because of my migrant background. They have nothing to do with each other. It’s about how teammates and coaches perceive you.
“You are only made captain if you are seen and recognized by the team as open, honest and good.”
The channel said a journalist working on an ARD documentary on football and diversity was repeatedly confronted with statements about the composition of the national team.
Information from Reuters contributed to this report.
