İlkay Gündoğan’s family story combines his German upbringing with deep Turkish roots. Born on October 24, 1990, in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, the midfielder was raised by Turkish parents, İrfan and Ayten Gündoğan, whose families came from Dursunbey in Turkey’s Balıkesir province. The values he learned at home, particularly the importance of education, discipline and family, remained significant as he developed into one of the most successful German footballers of his generation.
Football fans are also familiar with Gündoğan’s own growing family. He is married to model and television personality Sara Arfaoui, and the couple are parents to three children: sons Kais and Kian and daughter Ella. Away from his wife and children, İlkay grew up alongside his older brother, İlker Gündoğan, who followed an academic rather than sporting career.
Who are İlkay Gündoğan’s parents?
İlkay Gündoğan’s parents are İrfan Gündoğan and Ayten Gündoğan. Both have Turkish roots, and the family’s history is closely associated with Dursunbey, a district in Balıkesir province in northwestern Turkey.
Although İlkay was born and raised in Germany, his parents ensured that he remained connected with his Turkish background. He grew up in Gelsenkirchen, in Germany’s Ruhr region, where a large community of families with immigrant backgrounds had established themselves.
İlkay has repeatedly emphasized the importance of his upbringing. In a first-person article for The Players’ Tribune, he credited his parents with doing a good job raising both him and his brother İlker and explained that education was treated seriously alongside football.
That approach meant Gündoğan did not grow up believing that becoming a professional footballer was guaranteed. He continued with his studies while training, eventually completing his Abitur even as his football career was beginning to take off.
Who is İlkay Gündoğan’s father?
İlkay Gündoğan’s father is İrfan Gündoğan. He was born in Turkey and spent part of his childhood there before moving to Germany with members of his family.
The Gündoğan family’s migration story began before İlkay was born. His paternal grandfather moved from Dursunbey to Germany’s Ruhr region as a guest worker and worked as a miner. İrfan later joined the family in Germany in 1979.
After settling in Germany, İrfan built a life for his family in the Ruhr area. Historical accounts of the family indicate that he began working as a driver in Essen in the early 1980s.
İrfan also became closely involved in his son’s career. At different stages, he was reported to have helped advise İlkay alongside the footballer’s uncle, İlhan Gündoğan. Rather than being known primarily as a public figure himself, İrfan generally remained behind the scenes while supporting his son’s professional development.
His influence extended beyond football. İlkay has spoken about the expectations his parents placed on him academically, demonstrating that the family wanted him to have an education regardless of whether his football ambitions ultimately succeeded.
Who is İlkay Gündoğan’s mother?
İlkay Gündoğan’s mother is Ayten Gündoğan. Like her husband, she has Turkish roots and is associated with the family’s origins in the Balıkesir region.
Ayten has maintained a relatively private life despite her son’s international fame. She occasionally appears in reports about important family occasions, but unlike İlkay, she has not pursued a public career.
İlkay has generally spoken about his mother and father together when discussing his childhood. He has credited them with raising him and his older brother in an environment where responsibility and education were important.
Both İrfan and Ayten have also maintained the family’s connection with Turkey. Reports about family celebrations in Dursunbey have documented the couple returning to the area, illustrating that their relationship with their ancestral hometown continued long after establishing their lives in Germany.
Who is İlkay Gündoğan’s brother?
İlkay Gündoğan has an older brother named İlker Gündoğan. The two brothers grew up together in Gelsenkirchen, but their professional paths ultimately became very different.
While İlkay pursued elite football, İlker entered academia. He has studied China extensively and has been described as a scholar specializing in Chinese studies, with later academic work also involving subjects such as football policy and sports diplomacy.
İlker completed doctoral-level studies in Germany and has worked in academic research. His career demonstrates another important aspect of the Gündoğan household: education was taken seriously by the family alongside sport.
Is İlker Gündoğan married?
Yes. İlker Gündoğan married Tanja Miozga in Dursunbey, Turkey, in June 2019. Their parents, İrfan and Ayten, were present at the wedding and welcomed guests at the ceremony.
İlkay was unable to attend his brother’s wedding because he was on international duty with Germany at the time. Germany were playing Belarus in a Euro 2020 qualifier, preventing him from joining the family celebration in Turkey.
Who is İlkay Gündoğan’s wife?
İlkay Gündoğan’s wife is Sara Arfaoui Gündoğan. Sara is a model, television personality and media figure who was born in Italy, grew up in France and has Tunisian family roots.
Sara established her own career before becoming widely known to football audiences through her relationship with Gündoğan. She has worked in modeling and television, including appearances in Italian entertainment.
The couple became publicly associated with each other in the early 2020s. Gündoğan proposed to Sara in December 2021, and she announced that she had accepted his proposal.
When did İlkay Gündoğan marry Sara Arfaoui?
İlkay Gündoğan and Sara Arfaoui married in May 2022. Their civil ceremony took place in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The couple publicly announced their marriage and later celebrated with family and friends. Further celebrations connected with their marriage were held in Italy and Turkey, reflecting both Sara’s background and İlkay’s Turkish family heritage.
Since marrying Gündoğan, Sara has occasionally spoken about wanting to maintain her own professional identity rather than simply being known as a footballer’s wife. In a 2024 interview, she emphasized her ambitions in entertainment and television and explained that she wanted to continue progressing in her own career.
Does İlkay Gündoğan have children?
Yes. İlkay Gündoğan and Sara Arfaoui have three children. Their children are Kais Gündoğan, Ella Gündoğan and Kian Gündoğan.
The couple became parents for the first time in 2023, welcomed their second child in 2025 and expanded their family again with a third baby in 2026.
Who is İlkay Gündoğan’s son Kais?
Kais Gündoğan is İlkay and Sara’s first child. He was born in March 2023, less than a year after his parents married.
Gündoğan publicly celebrated becoming a father and shared the news of Kais’ arrival. Fatherhood was particularly meaningful to him because he had previously described becoming a parent as one of his major personal dreams.
Kais was still a newborn during one of the most memorable periods of his father’s football career. He appeared with his parents during celebrations surrounding Manchester City’s historic 2022/23 season, when the club won the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.
Who is İlkay Gündoğan’s daughter Ella?
Ella Gündoğan is the couple’s second child and their first daughter. She was born in February 2025.
Sara publicly announced their daughter’s arrival, introducing her as the family’s little princess. Photos shared by the family also showed older brother Kais being introduced to his younger sister.
Ella’s birth made Gündoğan a father of two, approximately two years after Kais was born.
Who is İlkay Gündoğan’s son Kian?
Kian is İlkay Gündoğan and Sara Arfaoui’s third child. He was born in April 2026, making the couple parents of three children.
Galatasaray publicly congratulated Gündoğan and his wife following the arrival of their baby boy. Media reports identified the newborn as Kian, with some German coverage giving his full name as Kian Leone.
With Kian’s birth, the Gündoğan household grew to include two sons and one daughter: Kais, Ella and Kian.
İlkay Gündoğan’s family roots in Turkey
Although Gündoğan was born in Germany and represented Germany throughout his international football career, his Turkish ancestry is an important part of his family story.
His parents have roots in Dursunbey, Balıkesir. The family’s connection with Germany dates back to the migration of İlkay’s paternal grandfather to the Ruhr region as a guest worker. Like many Turkish workers who moved to West Germany during that period, he sought employment in the country’s industrial sector and worked as a miner.
İrfan Gündoğan later joined the family in Germany, and the next generation was raised there. İlkay was subsequently born in Gelsenkirchen in 1990.
Despite the geographical distance, the family maintained close connections with Dursunbey. İlkay has visited the area and supported projects there, while major family occasions, including his brother İlker’s wedding, have taken place in the town.
Is Naz Aydemir related to İlkay Gündoğan?
Yes. Naz Aydemir Akyol is İlkay Gündoğan’s cousin. She is a prominent Turkish volleyball player who represented the Turkey women’s national team and played for major Turkish clubs during her career.
The relationship adds another elite athlete to Gündoğan’s extended family. While İlkay became one of Germany’s leading footballers, Naz achieved significant success in professional volleyball.
Her career included domestic and international trophies, making the wider Gündoğan family notable in more than one professional sport.
Family has remained important throughout İlkay Gündoğan’s career
From his childhood in Gelsenkirchen to becoming a husband and father of three, family has remained a consistent part of İlkay Gündoğan’s life. His parents emphasized education and responsibility while supporting his football ambitions, and his brother pursued a successful academic path of his own.
Gündoğan has since created a family with Sara Arfaoui. The births of Kais in 2023, Ella in 2025 and Kian in 2026 have added another dimension to his life away from football.
His story therefore stretches across three generations and two countries: from grandparents who built a new life in Germany after leaving Turkey, to İrfan and Ayten raising their sons in Gelsenkirchen, and finally to İlkay and Sara raising their own three children.
Frequently Asked Questions about İlkay Gündoğan’s family
Who are İlkay Gündoğan’s parents?
İlkay Gündoğan’s parents are İrfan Gündoğan and Ayten Gündoğan. They are of Turkish origin, with family roots in Dursunbey in Balıkesir province.
Who is İlkay Gündoğan’s father?
İlkay Gündoğan’s father is İrfan Gündoğan. He was born in Turkey and moved to Germany with his family when he was young. He later became involved in advising İlkay during his football career.
Who is İlkay Gündoğan’s mother?
İlkay Gündoğan’s mother is Ayten Gündoğan. She is of Turkish origin and raised İlkay and his older brother İlker in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.
Does İlkay Gündoğan have siblings?
Yes. İlkay Gündoğan has an older brother named İlker Gündoğan.
Who is İlkay Gündoğan’s brother?
İlker Gündoğan is İlkay’s older brother. Unlike his famous footballer brother, İlker pursued an academic career and has specialized in subjects connected with China and international studies.
Is İlkay Gündoğan married?
Yes. İlkay Gündoğan has been married to Sara Arfaoui since May 2022.
Who is İlkay Gündoğan’s wife?
İlkay Gündoğan’s wife is Sara Arfaoui Gündoğan, an Italian-born model and television personality who grew up in France and has Tunisian roots.
Does İlkay Gündoğan have a girlfriend?
Gündoğan does not currently have a publicly known girlfriend because he is married to Sara Arfaoui Gündoğan.
How many children does İlkay Gündoğan have?
İlkay Gündoğan has three children with his wife Sara: two sons, Kais and Kian, and a daughter named Ella.
Who is İlkay Gündoğan’s oldest child?
His oldest child is his son Kais Gündoğan, who was born in March 2023.
Who is İlkay Gündoğan’s daughter?
İlkay Gündoğan’s daughter is Ella Gündoğan, born in February 2025.
Who is İlkay Gündoğan’s youngest child?
His youngest child is his son Kian, who was born in April 2026.
Where is İlkay Gündoğan’s family from?
İlkay Gündoğan was born in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, while his parents and wider family have roots in Dursunbey, a district of Balıkesir province in Turkey.
Is Naz Aydemir related to İlkay Gündoğan?
Yes. Turkish volleyball star Naz Aydemir Akyol is İlkay Gündoğan’s cousin.
James Horan is a football writer focused on the Premier League transfer market, covering confirmed signings, transfer rumors, and club strategies during the transfer windows.
