Ilkay Gundogan ended his career at Manchester City, and he will no doubt be remembered by supporters with equal affection as venerable figures like Vincent Kompany, David Silva and Sergio Aguero.

During his seven-year tenure, the Germany international won 12 major titles and played a key role in many of them. Gundogan continuously rose up in each moment, famous as Man City’s reserve player in important matches. In fact, Kyle Walker commented that the versatile midfielder seems to turn into a major “Zinedine (Zinedine) in the final months” of each campaign.

As the 32-year-old prepares to begin his journey with Barcelona, we take a look back at 10 of Gundogan’s most memorable moments from his illustrious time at Manchester City.

Ilkay Gundogan’s first goal

Gundogan became Pep Guardiola’s first signing, but he was sidelined at the start of the 2016-17 season due to injury. However, when he returned to full strength, he immediately left his mark. In his first appearance, in a 4-0 win over Borussia Monchengladbach in the Champions League, Gundogan earned a penalty. Just three days later, on his Premier League debut against Bournemouth, he opened a scoring account for Man City.

Showing excellent timing, Gundogan made a well-timed run inside the box and calmly finished the ball home—a sight that has become familiar to fans at Etihad Stadium .

Double against Barca

In their Champions League group stage encounter with Barcelona in October 2016, Manchester City suffered a humiliating defeat as Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick in a resounding 4-0 win at Camp Nou.

In the next rematch at the Etihad, it seemed that Messi would once again make a difference with the opening goal. However, Gundogan was quick to act. He converted Raheem Sterling’s smooth pass to equalize and then sealed a remarkable 3-1 win by taking advantage of a loose dribble in the box.

Recovery process

The fact that Gundogan injured his knee ligament in a 2-0 win over Watford in December 2016. Gundogan could only return the following September, coming on as a substitute in a 6-0 overwhelming victory over the same opponent at Vicarage Road. Visiting supporters greeted him with a warm welcome.

Break the passing record

It is clear that Manchester City were soon one of the most adept teams in English football when it came to possession, and Gundogan played a key role in their style of possession.

Ilkay Gundogan became a passing master in a 1-0 win over Chelsea in March 2018

In a crucial 1-0 win over Chelsea in March 2018, Gundogan entered the Premier League record books by surpassing individual records for most passes (174) and success pass (167) in a match. The previous record holder happened to be another respectable Man City icon – Yaya Toure.

A historic day at Anfield

Gundogan has shown great resilience, as evidenced by his remarkable recovery from a serious knee injury. He continued to prove his mental fortitude by passing an unfortunate penalty in the first half against Liverpool in February 2021.

Ilkay Gundogan broke the deadlock to help Man City win their first victory at Anfield since 2003

Undeterred by the missed phases, Gundogan showed determination when he seized the opportunity to score, breaking the deadlock. He continued to counterattack after Phil Foden’s shot that Alisson, the Liverpool keeper, was unable to block. Furthermore, Gundogan played a key role in restoring City’s lead, contributing to the team’s victory and their first win at Anfield since 2003.

Won the Premier League Player of the Month award

Gundogan’s incredible double at Anfield came during a period of phenomenal form that significantly contributed to Man City winning the 2020-21 Premier League title. After starting the new year, Gundogan, now positioned by Guardiola in the attacking role, has scored 10 goals in 12 games. This remarkable feat helped him make history as the first Manchester City player to win the Premier League Player of the Month award in a row.

Ilkay Gundogan wins consecutive Premier League Player of the Month award

Pep’s Game Changer

With just 22 minutes remaining in the crucial final game against Aston Villa on May 22, 2022, Manchester City find themselves on the verge of losing the Premier League title. They were unexpectedly 2-0 down and had difficulty creating clear scoring opportunities.

However, everything changed when Gundogan was introduced to the field. Almost immediately, his presence lifted the spirits of the team as he masterfully converted Kevin De Bruyne’s pass, pulling City back into the game. After Rodri equalized, Gundogan produced a moment reminiscent of Aguero’s famous goal, capitalizing on another superb pass from his Belgium team-mate. The stadium exploԀed at the Etihad, and Guardiola was moved to tears as City once again overcame Liverpool to win the title by just one point.

Man City’s title changer

Gundogan went on to score key goals as Manchester City fended off Arsenal’s title attempt, winning a third straight title. After a brace in the 2-1 win over Leeds, he once again proved vital by breaking the deadlock against Everton, effectively ending the Gunners’ challenge.

Not content with just scoring, Gundogan also played an important role in Man City’s second goal when assisting Erling Haaland. He then sealed the victory with a sublime free-kick, much to Guardiola’s amazement. The manager couldn’t help but commend Gundogan, saying, “He always shows his quality and importance. He has the ability to do anything.”

Double in the 2023 FA Cup final

In the 2023 FA Cup final, at Wembley, Manchester United made the fatal mistake of leaving Gundogan unmanaged, and he was quick to capitalize on that. Within just 13 seconds of the game, Gundogan unleashed a stunning volley to open the scoring—a moment that made him the standout attacking midfielder to watch in the derby.

He gave City the win by launching another impressive strike from outside the box early in the second half. Guardiola couldn’t contain his excitement when he declared: “The season he has had has been really special. There can be no doubt about that.”

A perfect captain

After Fernandinho left Manchester City in the summer of 2022, Gundogan was chosen by his teammates as the club’s new captain. This decision reflects the immense respect he receives not only from his coach but also from his players.

In return for this trust, Gundogan led the team to an extraordinary treble, culminating in him becoming the first Man City player to lift the prestigious Champions League trophy. It was a truly fitting end to his remarkable tenure at Manchester, cementing his legacy in the club’s history.