After another injury
World Cup in danger: Ter Stegen will undergo surgery on Friday
Updated February 4, 2026 – 4:35 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
Marc-André ter Stegen apparently has to have another operation. His participation in the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico is therefore questionable.
The fears have been confirmed: national soccer goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen will have to undergo surgery at the beginning of the World Cup year. The 33-year-old will undergo surgery on his injured thigh on Friday, Ter Stegen’s club FC Girona announced on Wednesday. The exact downtime will be announced after the operation, it said.
The goalkeeper, on loan from FC Barcelona, has suffered a muscle injury and is expected to be out for at least two months, according to speculation. According to recent reports in the Spanish media, Girona is considering sending Ter Stegen back to Barça due to the injury – this is possible due to a clause in the loan agreement.
National coach Julian Nagelsmann had already confirmed that he would be missing his number one for the start of the World Cup year with the international matches on March 27th in Basel against Switzerland and on March 30th in Stuttgart against Ghana. “That is incredibly bitter,” said Nagelsmann and emphasized: “All that matters at the moment is getting healthy, in peace and without pressure. We’re all behind him.”
It remains to be seen whether Ter Stegen will be able to play in Germany’s goal despite another long break at the World Cup in the summer. If Girona sends him back to Barcelona, where he no longer plays a role under coach Hansi Flick because he relies on summer newcomer Joan García, he would lack the match practice that is urgently needed for the tournament. Nagelsmann mentioned this as a prerequisite for a World Cup appearance.
Ter Stegen suffered the injury last Saturday in Girona’s 0-1 defeat at bottom-placed Real Oviedo. It was only the second game he played for his new club. He was most recently represented in the German goal by Hoffenheim’s Oliver Baumann, who is now also considered the first candidate for the World Cup job.
