More than twelve years after his debut in goal for the national football team, Marc-André ter Stegen can finally feel like the “clear number one” in Germany. National coach Julian Nagelsmann appointed the 32-year-old captain of FC Barcelona following the retirement of Germany’s record goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
Goalscorer Niclas Füllkrug revealed at the team headquarters in Herzogenaurach: “Marc is really looking forward to this time, I can promise you that.” The endless wait for a turning point in the DFB goal has demanded a lot from ter Stegen. But he has not given up in frustration. “I am pretty sure that he will do the job very well without a doubt and give the team a lot of quality and character on the pitch,” said Füllkrug.
40 international matches since the 3:5 false start
After 40 international matches since his debut on May 26, 2012 against Switzerland in Basel, which was a false start for the then 20-year-old with five goals conceded and a 3-5 defeat, ter Stegen can now look forward to his first major tournament appearance; at the age of 34 at the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Since the 2010 World Cup, Neuer has been in goal for the DFB at each of the four World Cup and European Championship finals. “It almost became a painful topic at some point when you only have such an outstanding goalkeeper as your number two,” said Füllkrug.
“Always at the service of the team”
On Saturday (8.45 p.m./ZDF), former Gladbach player ter Stegen will run onto the pitch behind new captain Joshua Kimmich in the number 1 jersey at the start of the Nations League in Düsseldorf against Hungary. He has taken over the number from Neuer.
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“You have to say that Marc has done an outstanding job all these years, that he has always put himself at the service of the team. That is particularly difficult as a second goalkeeper,” said Kimmich.
Soon it will be Neuer versus ter Stegen again
“There were certainly one or two tournaments where Marc thought he had a chance of becoming number one, but was made number two. He took it in good spirit,” said Kimmich. Now he is happy for ter Stegen’s promotion: “I’m happy for him that the door is finally opening for him. I sometimes had the feeling that people in Germany underestimate what he achieved in Barcelona over the years.”
By the way: ter Stegen and Neuer will soon meet again – as opponents. On October 23, Barcelona will host Bayern in the Champions League.
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