Following Marc-André ter Stegen’s unfortunate knee injury, which has ruled him out for the remainder of the season, there has been speculation about a possible return for Manuel Neuer to the German national team. However, despite the calls, the veteran goalkeeper has made it clear that a comeback to international football is not in his plans.
Ter Stegen’s Injury and Impact on Germany
The 32-year-old Ter Stegen sustained the injury during Barcelona’s 5-1 victory over Villarreal, where he awkwardly landed while attempting to catch a high ball. The goalkeeper has since undergone surgery, leaving both his club and the German national team without their first-choice shot-stopper for the foreseeable future. Germany’s head coach, Julian Nagelsmann, had recently named Ter Stegen as the team’s No. 1 goalkeeper, but with this injury, they will now need to explore other options.
Neuer Quashes Rumors of National Team Comeback
With Ter Stegen sidelined, some have looked to Neuer, who retired from international football after Germany’s exit from the 2024 European Championship. The Bayern Munich goalkeeper, who earned 124 caps for his country after debuting in 2009, quickly dismissed the idea of a return to the national team. Speaking after Bayern’s recent 1-1 draw with Bayer Leverkusen, Neuer stated, “I left on my own initiative,” making it clear that he intends to stand by his decision.
Reports from Kicker further confirmed that Neuer has no plans to rejoin the national squad. Nevertheless, Neuer reached out to Ter Stegen following the operation, sending him words of encouragement. “He’s doing well under the circumstances,” Neuer said, reflecting on his own experience of recovering from a serious injury. “Marc will definitely manage to come back strong.”
Germany’s Goalkeeping Options Moving Forward
Despite ruling out a return himself, Neuer remains confident that Germany has plenty of strong options in goal. “We have at least two excellent goalkeepers. There’s no reason to worry,” he added. Among those options, Oliver Baumann was part of the Euro 2024 squad, and Alexander Nübel was included in the preliminary list. Additionally, Kevin Trapp of Eintracht Frankfurt and Fulham’s Bernd Leno both have valuable experience at the top level and could be considered as replacements.
While Ter Stegen faces a lengthy recovery, Germany appears to be well-equipped to handle the challenge with a wealth of goalkeeping talent to call upon.
