Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has been told that in order to guarantee a starting spot at the 2026 World Cup, he must be the number one at club level. It cranks up the pressure on the 33-year-old, who had surgery on his back on Tuesday.
Ter Stegen has been forced to undergo an operation on his back, coming at a difficult time for him, as he watches Barcelona try to oust him as number one, following the signing of Joan Garcia. Hansi Flick has told ter Stegen he will be their third-choice goalkeeper, but he had vowed to fight on for his spot, with three years left on his deal.
Meanwhile one of Barcelona’s bargaining chips with which to persuade ter Stegen to leave was to bench him, with the 33-year-old desperate to play the 2026 World Cup with Germany, having sat behind Manuel Neuer for many years. Yet in Germany, BILD report that Bayern Munich veteran Manuel Neuer could return to international duty to play in the USA if he is asked, as doubts grow about ter Stegen.
His injury complicates his route to the number one spot in the USA, Canada and Mexico. Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann is also a candidate to compete for the number one spot next summer, and he will be given a chancein Germany’s remaining fixtures in 2025.
However speaking to the German press, Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann stated that in order for ter Stegen to retain his number one spot, he must be playing regularly at Barcelona.
“He is our number one if he is healthy and he is number one at his club. In my thoughts, I know that Marc will return in December, he will play both matches in March, in June too, and then he will compete in the World Cup.”
“We have many good ideas and solutions,” he responded when asked if that scenario did not play out.