Use plugin function

Hi, I’m trying to use this function

<?php if(function_exists(‘the_views’)) { the_views(); } ?>

inside of a plugin’s file but it doesn’t work

<div class="video-processed-post">
';
		$content .= '
		<div class="video-thumbnail-container">
			<a href="#">'. get_the_category($post->ID).'</a>
			<a>ID).'" title="'. get_the_title($post->ID).'"><img src="'.$meta['videoswiper-embed-thumb'][0].'" class="video-thumbnail"></a>
			<a>ID).'" title="'. get_the_title($post->ID).'">'.get_the_title($post->ID).'</a>
			'<?php if(function_exists('the_views')) { the_views(); } ?>'
		</div>

</div>