Gundogan's open letter to the City 'Today I was Pirlo, tomorrow I will be Zidane' - Trendingknowledgelive

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Gundogan's open letter to the City 'Today I was Pirlo, tomorrow I will be Zidane'

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27 Jun, 2023

 Gundogan's open letter to the City
'Today I was Pirlo, tomorrow I will be Zidane'

Gundogan
Gundogan(Twitter)


Beloved City

In my youth, I came here with countless dreams in my eyes. At that time, I didn't have any children of my own. So it was hard for me to believe that after seven years, when I'm leaving this club, I have become a father and all the dreams I have seen have come true.


The present moment is bittersweet. Saying goodbye is not easy, let alone saying it to this team. I was filled with mixed emotions when I informed the group chat about my departure. Honestly, I will miss everyone. But it feels good to bid farewell as a champion and to give this club nothing but love and affection. How many people can bid farewell as the leader of a treble-winning team?


Our achievements are extraordinary. In seven years, I have won five Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and the Champions League. The treble. But those are just trophies. What I will remember is the mutual relationship among everyone on this team and the bond that has been formed—especially in this season. In football, I have never experienced such camaraderie.


I am a bit reserved by nature. It takes me some time to open up. The remarkable thing about this team is that no matter how much pressure we faced, we, the Saints, enjoyed ourselves among each other. During training sessions, when we played five against two in the box, it was great fun to tease Ruben Dias. Sometimes, when I show a bit of skill, they playfully call me 'Zidane.' If I play well in training, Ruben calls me 'Zidane' and I respond, 'No, no, today I was Pirlo. Tomorrow I'll be Zizou.'


We have gone through laughter and tears every day, which is rare in football. For this, I am grateful to our spouses and partners as well. They have organized various barbecues to bring us closer together. Among all the teams I have played for, in this team, mentally we were very close to each other, and that's why we won the Champions League.


The Champions League has been a dream for me for 10 years. You can call it an obsession. After losing in the final with Dortmund in 2013, my heart was shattered. Since then, it has tormented me for 10 long years. I have made all decisions with the sole purpose of winning this trophy, and that's why I came to this city. Two years ago, even after losing in the final against Chelsea, my heart was broken. And this time, when I sat on the bench during the semifinals against Real Madrid, it was a very tough moment. I want to win the trophy at any cost.


In this season, everything has been fine. Not only the Champions League but also the Premier League and the FA Cup, we have been doing well every week. Even though we were 10 points behind Arsenal, we believed we could win the league.


In the dressing room, I firmly believed that whoever was on the field, every time I stepped on the pitch, we would win. When you have faith in your teammates, everything becomes easy. There is no room for fear, and that's when the magic happens. Perhaps that's why I scored some important goals last season. And this season has felt like a movie to me. I consider it better than ending with the final in Istanbul. Before landing at the airport, looking through the window, it felt like I would lead my team to the Champions League final in my grandfather's homeland. On the bus ride to the hotel, Scott Carson (who was with Liverpool in the 2005 Champions League final) said, "I won't be surprised if I return from Istanbul with the Champions League trophy in my hands."


There was only one problem. The final didn't start until 10 PM local time. I was sitting lazily in the hotel. I had turned off my phone. I didn't want to read any messages from anyone. I couldn't sleep or watch TV. I was nervous. I had played the final in my head at least 500 times before it even started.


I can't say much about the match. I haven't fully processed it yet. It happened too fast. We have to accept that we didn't play our best game. I was a little off, but we still managed to win in the end. What I remember is the referee's final whistle. I sat down with my head in my hands. When I stood up, I saw tears in the eyes of Inter Milan's players around me. That moment, that feeling, I know it. So, I stood up and said, "You should be proud of your performance this season."


I know there will be a lot of pressure in Barcelona. But I love taking pressure. I enjoy doing something out of my comfort zone. I never want to do something easily; I have left behind the fear of new challenges. That's what this new chapter is about. I'm not following in the footsteps of Barcelona's jersey. But before that, I want to say a few final words to Manchester City—it's my pilgrimage, to the staff and the fans.


Remember, I will always be a Cityzen. This bond cannot be broken by anything. This love is of the highest level. And for that, I can only say thank you.


I will remember you all for the rest of my life. Thank you for everything.


Best regards,


Ilkay.


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