Updated on July 26th, 2025 – 5:24 p.m.Reading time: 3 min.
First the unworthy exposure, now the next long-term injury. For Marc-André Ter Stegen there is a year before the KM Knüppeldick. His future is uncertain in two ways.
As if the degradation to number three at FC Barcelona had not already been enough, his body only added a patella tendon tear shortly after recording: back surgery including three months downtime for Germany’s number one Marc-André Ter.
Many Barça fans and those of the DFB team may have asked themselves on Thursday, when Ter Stegen, the news of his new failure via Instagram: How much bad luck can you actually have? In the coming year he has the chance to finally compete his first big tournament as a German number one after almost a decade behind Manuel Neuer, and will suddenly be abandoned. First of his club, then from his body.
When, how and especially where it goes on for the former Gladbacher – all of this is now completely open. One thing is clear: a summer change that Ter Stegen would have reluctantly done anyway, has finally broken down due to the injury. Finally, Pep Guardiola and Manchester City were considered a possible prospect.
It is also clear: Ter Stegen will no longer come to a noteworthy playing time at least until the winter break. It fails by the beginning of November, then as a new number three in the club, he has hardly any prospects for missions. A winter change is almost inevitable if he wants to keep his World Cup dream alive. The discussions of the past few weeks have practically only been postponed by half a year.
As can be heard from Spain, the susceptibility to injuries in the recent past also played a role in the degradation of the 33-year-old. For his high salary – allegedly around 16 million euros – Ter Stegen was able to do too little consideration. In the last two seasons, he missed a total of 60 games – practically an entire season.
Well, when Barça would have been confirmed in his fundamental decision, the next failure of the former captain of the Catalan follows. As a result, not only his future in the club is completely uncertain, but also that in the DFB team. Does national coach Julian Nagelsmann keep his statement that Ter Stegen is his number one, under the new circumstances?
Although he was only number two in the German goal behind Manuel Neuer and after his promotion to number one last year, he already missed eight caps, Ter Stegen has a remarkable 44 international matches. This was also due to the fact that new ones have always been with long injuries in recent years. But was always fit for big tournaments.
Especially before the 2018 World Cup and most recently the home European Championship, he had given justified hopes for a regular place. But both Joachim Löw and Julian Nagelsmann finally rely on the newly recovered new one. Not every fan or expert found that fair. Ter Stegen was not allowed to play a single minute at a big tournament.
What remains in terms of hope for the WM 2026 is that it is now the case for him as often for new ones. This also wishes him ex-national keeper René Adler, who says in the dpa conversation: “I would advocate keeping the door open for as long as possible. Marc was loyal for so long and earned it earlier. Now he needs the loyalty. For me it is a question of respect to give him time as long as possible.”