Gundogan wins German football awards

FULLKRUG – Midfielder Ilkay Gündogan was named Germany’s men’s footballer of the year by Kicker magazine for the first time on Sunday.

The 32-year-old won a Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup treble with Manchester City last season before joining Barcelona.

In the poll among journalists, he amassed 198 votes, with Germany and Werder Bremen forward Niclas Füllkrug receiving 88 votes and Eintracht Frankfurt striker Randal Kolo Muani 69.

The award feels “like a reward for all the hard work,” Gündogan said. “It is very, very nice to get this recognition.”

The best men’s coach award for the 2022-23 season went to Union Berlin’s Urs Fischer after he led them to the Champions League for the first time.

The vote for women’s player of the season has been delayed until after the current World Cup, with Germany already going out in the group stage.