"Gundogan didn't talk a lot, but when he did, everyone listened"

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said Germany's European Championship captain Ilkay Gundogan is one of the most intelligent players he has coached, telling 'Stern' magazine of his unassuming leadership skills.

"Ilkay didn't talk a lot but when he spoke everyone heard him, including me as a coach. He was clear and direct. He is a very intelligent player, one of the most intelligent players I have coached. He was a key to our successes," Guardiola said.

"A player can be quick, have a good shot but what makes him stand out from the crowd and become an elite player is his intelligence, knowing how to make the right decisions under pressure and knowing what the team needs. That's the type of player I'm looking for, I only had to explain things to Ilkay once and he understood immediately," he added.

Gundogan, according to Guardiola, is a player who excels in all positions in midfield. "He dominates all positions in midfield. What he is particularly good at is playing in tight spaces. For example, as a '10', behind the centre-forward. But he also supplies the full-backs and wingers with balls," he explained.

"We have to add that he is a good goal scorer. He can easily score between 10 and 15 goals a season," he said.