“No issue”
DFB sports director Rudi Völler excludes a new return
25.08.2025 – 8:39 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
The sporting future of Marc-André Ter Stegen is completely open. With the DFB, however, you continue to put fully on the goalkeeper.
The German national team has to do without Marc-André Ter Stegen-but there is therefore no need to worry at the DFB. Sports director Rudi Völler commented on the goalkeeper question in Hürtgenwald on Monday and made it clear that they are continuing on the currently injured keeper.
“We would like to give him the chance to come back. He deserves that in the many, many years,” said Völler. At the same time, he emphasized: “The most important thing is that he gets fit again and that he plays afterwards.”
The 32-year-old from FC Barcelona fails for several months after a back operation and thus misses the upcoming World Cup qualification. In the duels against Slovakia, Northern Ireland and Luxembourg in autumn, national coach Julian Nagelsmann has to do without the number one. Previously, Ter Stegen had already been graded by ex-national coach Hansi Flick at his club at number three. Although his contract at Barça is still running until 2028, his sporting perspective is currently open.
Until Ter Stegen, said Völler, “we have goalkeepers, who are absolutely at an international level, are the absolute top goalkeepers. I saw it in Leverkusen at the weekend. Oliver Baumann delivered an outstanding game with the Hoffenheimers. I have no abdominal pain at all. And Julian Nagelsmann also didn’t make Oliver or one or the other good,” said Völler. Nagelsmann excluded a new return, like recently. This is “not an issue”.
Nagelsmann also recently emphasized that it would continue to plan with Ter Stegen for the 2026 World Cup. “In my thoughts I know that Marc will come back in December, then the two games will play in March, in June, and then the World Cup will play,” said the national coach in Leipzig at the end of July.