Nagelsmann with clear words
World Cup chance for ter Stegen only “very, very, very slim”
March 29, 2026 – 5:46 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
After Manuel Neuer’s resignation, Julian Nagelsmann declared Marc-André ter Stegen as German number one. Nevertheless, his World Cup dream is about to burst.
William Laing reports from Stuttgart
DFB goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen’s hopes of participating in the World Cup continue to dwindle. National coach Julian Nagelsmann emphasized on Sunday at the press conference before the friendly against Ghana (Monday, from 8:45 p.m. in the live ticker on t-online) that “the chance is very, very, very small”.
The DFB coach explained again that he was not closing the door for Ter Stegen “out of respect for him”. But you have to look at the overall constellation with him. “He hasn’t played for a year and now got injured, but he’s been out for a year and has played very little,” said Nagelsmann. “And you have to observe this whole thing a little bit.”
Ter Stegen had missed a large number of club and national team games since November 2023 due to a back injury and a ruptured patellar tendon. At the beginning of the year, the goalkeeper, who had recovered at the time but had been retired from FC Barcelona, was loaned to FC Girona. But after just two games he injured his thigh and has been out again since then. The 33-year-old played his last of 44 international matches last summer in the Nations League against France.
The former Gladbacher should now “step on the gas in rehab,” demanded Nagelsmann. He only spoke briefly to Ter Stegen two days ago. “He’s doing quite well. He’s no longer in a lot of pain. A little bit, but not huge,” reported the national coach. “But it all just takes time.” Ter Stegen is “not 21 anymore. He also has a few games under his belt.” You just have to see how he is doing.
Nagelsmann then also talked about ter Stegen’s private happiness. He read that “something nice is on the way” and congratulated him. What the national coach alluded to: Ter Stegen will be a father again. His new partner Ona Sellarès is expecting their first child together. “That will certainly help him and I keep my fingers crossed for him,” said Nagelsmann. But you have to “exercise the necessary patience” with the keeper.
