Gündoğan will wear an armband with the colors of the German flag in the European Championship

The German Football Association decided on Tuesday that the captain’s armband to be worn by İlkay Gündoğan in the upcoming friendly matches and the UEFA European Championship (Euro 2024) will feature the colors of the national flag. This decision comes after previous controversies surrounding the armband.

The German Football Association made this decision ahead of the two friendly matches against Ukraine and Greece next week, and Euro 2024, which will begin in Germany on June 14.

In Euro 2020, former captain Manuel Neuer wore an armband with rainbow colors, which led to an investigation by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA).

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) banned the rainbow armband during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and threatened sporting sanctions against those who violated the ban. Notably, the German national team exited the tournament in the group stage.

Last year, the German Football Association decided that the captain’s armband should feature the national flag colors—black, red, and gold—again at the earliest opportunity.