Many soccer experts agree that Ilkay Gundogan could be the decisive factor in Germany's bid to retain the World Cup this summer.

However, the man who has played a key role in Manchester City's domination of the Premier League this season is still searching for his place in his national team.

The 27-year-old former Borussia Dortmund and Nurnberg player is far from an automatic selection in Joachim Loew's XI.

In Friday's 1-1 friendly draw against Spain in Dusseldorf, Gundogan was a 53rd-minute substitute for Juventus midfielder Sami Khedira, who offers Loew more physicality but less guile than his replacement.

"It's difficult for me to define my role in the team. To be honest, it is due to the time I lost when I was out injured," said Gundogan, who has only 23 caps and never participated in a major tournament.

In 2014, a back muscle problem prevented him from going to Brazil, where Germany was crowned world champion. In 2016, a knee injury excluded him from the European Championships in France.

Last season, Gundogan ruptured a cruciate ligament which sidelined him for several months.

Gundogan admitted that he has had to overcome some tough times, saying: "I was totally off the radar and nowhere near to enjoying football."

Now things seem to have changed. Gundogan has made 38 appearances for City since September 2017, helping it win the League Cup in February－a 3-0 triumph over Arsenal－and build a 16-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

"I love to play for this club, for this manager, with these teammates. It's just fun," Gundogan said after a two-goal, man-of-the-match display in a 4-0 Champions League victory over Basel in Switzerland last month.

When it comes to City, Gundogan's value can't be overestimated. The Gelsenkirchen-born player is one of the cornerstones of Pep Guardiola's team, producing top-class performances week in, week out.

He was the man of the match when the Citizens beat Chelsea 1-0 and set a new Premier League passing record－174 passes with a 96 percent success rate.

Guardiola talks about him in glowing terms. "Gundo is a unique player," said the Spaniard. "We missed his contribution last season a lot as he was seriously injured. He is fantastic, his goals, his personality."

While Gundogan admits he couldn't be happier with his club at present, his aspirations for the World Cup in Russia, where Germany has been drawn in Group F with Mexico, Sweden and Saudi Arabia, are more modest.

"I'm sure to get time on the pitch but I am far from being in the position to make any big demands," he said.

Gundogan, meanwhile, should get another chance to impress Loew in Tuesday's friendly against a Neymarless Brazil in Berlin.

Xinhua