Jurgen Klopp confirms Marc-Andre ter Stegen as Germany's new number one goalkeeper
Marc-Andre ter Stegen has spoken of his pride and emotion after being confirmed as Germany's first-choice goalkeeper by new manager Jurgen Klopp, marking a triumphant return following a difficult period hampered by severe injury setbacks.
A Fresh Start Under Klopp
Germany begin a new era on Thursday when they face the Netherlands in the UEFA Nations League—their first fixture under former Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund manager Klopp. The international break will also feature upcoming clashes against Greece and Serbia.
With long-serving captain Manuel Neuer retiring from international football following Germany's shock round-of-32 exit at the hands of Paraguay, Klopp was tasked with establishing a new custodian between the posts. Despite selecting a roster of goalkeeping options including Alexander Nubel, Jonas Urbig, Noah Atubolu, and Finn Dahmen, Klopp has placed his full trust in Ter Stegen's experience.
The 44-cap shot-stopper had not featured for Die Mannschaft since June 2025 against France due to ongoing fitness struggles. Over the 2024-25 and 2025-26 campaigns combined, Ter Stegen was limited to just 10 club appearances across spells with parent club Barcelona and a loan at Girona. However, after stringing together eight consecutive starts on loan at Ajax, he has regained full fitness and match sharpness.
'There is a Smile on My Face'
"It's always something special for me, to be here again now," Ter Stegen told Sky Sport DE. "Especially if you had a time when things didn't go the way you imagined, when your body wasn't by your side, then of course, you appreciate it all the more.
"I believe that I have worked a lot to make this happen again. I'm also looking forward to meeting many new faces, some old friends who are here, and just to start again and give our best for the team.
"There's a smile on my face. I'm just happy to be 100% back, to be able to be with the national team and hopefully play successful football. That is the wish of all of us."
Adapting to the New Philosophy
Klopp takes charge of the national team with unprecedented top-flight pedigree, having managed 674 games across the Bundesliga and Premier League—more than any previous Germany head coach prior to their appointment.
Ter Stegen praised the German tactician's infectious energy while acknowledging the team must rapidly adapt to his tactical demands.
"He's one of one, as you know, with the joy he conveys and his interest in football, the enthusiasm he has for his own football," Ter Stegen said of Klopp. "I don't think you need to say anything. I think everyone knows him and everyone knows how much he lives and feels football.
"There are issues he would like to tackle, because he has his way of seeing football and understanding football. We have to try to internalise that as quickly as possible.
"For the time being, there are smaller levers that can and must be pulled, to then get into his philosophy. We want to play great football from the start, to defend not through individual actions, but really through the collective. We have very few training sessions to talk a lot about gameplan and so on, so we will keep it relatively simple now. We have to be attentive and implement that as quickly as possible."