Germany’s nominal number one in goal Marc-André ter Stegen will not play at FC Barcelona after recovering from an injury. DFB sports director Rudi Völler now indicated that his status in the national team could be shaky.
There are crucial weeks ahead for Marc-André ter Stegen, says DFB sports director Rudi Völler. The goalkeeper must ensure that he gets the necessary match practice in order to be between the posts at the World Cup in the summer.
“Regardless of whether he continues in Barcelona or somewhere else, in the end he has to play. And then we will all be happy for him if, after many years as a world-class goalkeeper behind Manuel Neuer, he gets the opportunity to be in goal at a World Cup,” said Völler in “kicker”. The goalkeeper is in “very close contact with our goalkeeper coach Andreas Kronenberg”.
The first international matches in March 2026 could be groundbreaking. It is “difficult to say” whether national coach Julian Nagelsmann will have to decide on a clear number one, but: “It may be that it is still a bit open, a lot depends on Marc-André. What’s next for him? What does he do now?” At the same time, the 1990 world champion emphasized: “Oliver Baumann is doing wonderfully so far.”
Ter Stegen recently made his comeback for FC Barcelona in the cup after back surgery. For coach Hansi Flick, Joan Garcia is number one. So the German keeper may only have a change in the winter to get back to playing time.
Woltemade was “almost a bargain”
While there is still a construction site to be completed in goal before the start of the World Cup, Football Germany currently has less to worry about in attack – thanks to center forward Nick Woltemade, who is starting at Newcastle United.
“I was already there permanently with the U21, and everyone knew that he could do something. Now no one talks about the 80 million euro transfer fee for his move to Newcastle. In the end, that was almost a bargain (laughs). His quality is extraordinary,” Völler told the trade journal.
Woltemade has scored seven goals in 14 games so far. Only at the weekend did he score a brace in the 2-2 draw against Chelsea. Woltemade has also scored four goals in eight games in the national team.
DFB selection not a top favorite at the World Cup
With a view to next year’s World Cup, the DFB sports director does not see Nagelsmann’s selection as absolute favorites. “We’re good, those who were new are also good, but of course it’s not the same situation for us as in France,” said Völler about the current staff: “If eight players are out, then eight others play and nothing changes. They have two teams.”
A place in the quarter-finals would probably be a success for Völler. “It always depends on how.” You always have to take into account who you are playing against, said Völler, recalling the 2024 European Championship in your own country.
“We still perhaps did better than the English, even though they made it to the final in the end. We just played against the Spaniards earlier. You had the feeling that we were the only ones who could bring them to the brink of defeat,” said the 65-year-old.