Marc-André Ter Stegen confessed to withdrawal ideas

For a long time only number two

“Now it’s enough for me”: Ter Stegen confesses to withdrawal thoughts

For a long time Marc-André Ter Stegen had to fight to be Germany’s number one. Now he speaks openly about a disappointing decision against him.

National goalkeeper Marc-André Ter Stegen burns on his comeback-at FC Barcelona, ​​but also in the DFB selection. He has “a huge anticipation for everything that comes to the national team now,” said the 32-year-old in the “Bild” podcast “phrase mower”.

Ter Stegen had contracted a patella tendon tear in the right knee in mid -September, but took part in the goalkeeper training with the Catalans for the first time on Monday. National coach Julian Nagelsmann recently emphasized that Ter Stegen would be number one in the DFB goal again after his recovery-the goalkeeper once considered to end the national career prematurely.

“Of course you also think about whether you want to do this to yourself,” revealed Ter Stegen openly after the decisions before the 2018 World Cup and EM 2024 against him and Pro ex-international Manuel Neuer: “On the other hand, you are proud of being German for your country and being able to represent the national team.” If he had decided out of the emotion, “I might have said: now it’s enough for me”.

For many years, Ter Stegen stood in the shadow of Neuer than German number one. The hardest decision against the former Gladbacher? Those from the former national coach Joachim Löw to put them on the keeper of FC Bayern at the 2018 World Cup. “I made almost all games, that was my best year until then. For me, it wasn’t fair at that moment,” admitted Ter Stegen.

It was different before the home European Championship last summer, when Nagelsmann also preferred the 39-year-old Neuer. “Julian is just out as a guy, that’s exactly how he explained it. It was not an easy decision for him. Was I happy about it? Certainly not!” Said Ter Stegen, who followed: “I said that I respect it – but I have a different opinion. But that doesn’t mean that I was less good. Julian was and is always very honest.”