Turkey can expect strong support from the Turkish-German community at Euro 2024. So can Germany
Six years ago, Ilkay Gündogan’s place on the German national team was in question over a photograph with Turkey’s president
DUESSELDORF, Germany (AP) — Six years ago, Ilkay Gündogan's place on the German national team was in question over a photograph with Turkey's president. Now he's the team captain.
When Gündogan leads the German national team out against Scotland in the European Championship opener Friday, he will be its first captain of Turkish heritage at a major tournament.
To some in the large Turkish-German community, the Barcelona midfielder embodies a “hybrid identity” that is gaining ground even in the face of political gains for the anti-migration far right, said Caner Aver, researcher at the Center for Turkish Studies and Integration Research in the German city of Essen.
While Gündogan had to choose which country to represent on the field, fans can support both. As the tournament nears, Aver bought one German and one Turkish national team shirt for his 6-year-old son, cut them in half, and stitched the halves together to make his own hybrid kit.
