As Jose Mourinho Picks Portugal Over Germany, Ilkay Gundogan Admits Weakness That Gives Them a Disadvantage

The 2024 UEFA Euros are officially underway. 24 nations split across 6 groups will take the heat against each other in over 51 matches to clinch their hands on the prestigious trophy. Among all the nations, all eyes will be on the host nation, Germany, who are keen to end their 28-year exile after having won the tournament back in 1996. But despite iconic manager Jose Mourinho backing Portugal for the win, German skipper Ilkay Gundogan claims that his nation can win the Euros on ‘so many levels.’

Just before Julian Nagelsmann’s side kicked off their Euro journey against Group A rivals Scotland, the Barcelona midfielder shared a heartfelt message for the supporters via the esteemed columns of BILD. While expressing that leading his nation in the Euros as a captain is a dream come true, Gundogan also rallied for support.

“What we were able to learn and feel in the past is that football has the power to bring people together. We live in times in which fronts are being built up more and more. People no longer listen to each other. There’s is a division in our society. As a team, we want to bring our country closer together in the next four weeks,” said the former Manchester City star. The 31-year-old further urged his nation’s supporters to become the backbone of Die Mannschaft.

Acknowledging that other nations are more stable than Germany, he added, “With the fantastic support of our fans, we can win at this home European championship on so many levels. As good hosts, as a cosmopolitan society and hopefully on the pitch, please help us to make our dream come true TOGETHER!”

Even though Gundogan is aware of the team’s weaknesses, he has confidence in Germany, something that Jose Mourinho doesn’t agree with.

Despite the optimism from Ilkay Gundogan, Jose Mourinho admits Portugal’s dream win!

In a recent interview with TNT Sports, Jose Mourinho took part in a rapid-fire segment. All of the questions concerning the Euros, when asked the winner, he backed Portugal. Meanwhile, the former Manchester United, Tottenham, and Chelsea manager reckoned England to be the runner-ups, yet again, who are coming with a heartbreaking 2020 loss against Italy in the finals. The unexpected predictions don’t just end here.

When asked about the surprise teams, Mourinho added, “A surprise team for me is anyone outside Portugal, France, or England because I think these three are the favorites.” Clearly, a direct snub to host Germany. The rest of the predictions from ‘The Special One’ included a Golden Boot for Harry Kane, best player of the tournament for Jude Bellingham, and a 2024 Ballon d’Or win for Vinicius Jr.

While these are some interesting predictions from Jose Mourinho, it remains to be seen whether Ilkay Gundogan and Germany can prove the Portuguese tactician wrong by showcasing their magic.