FC Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen made his return to the German national team during the squad’s 2-1 defeat at the hands of Portugal in the UEFA Nations League semifinals.
Ter Stegen was strong vs. Portugal, but will need to continue to prove himself to German fans, who were spoiled by the presence of Manuel Neuer for so many years. Head coach Julian Nagelsmann touched on Ter Stegen after Wednesday’s match (per ZDF via kicker):
In addition, Marc-Andre ter Stegen returned to goal after a long injury break. The goalkeeper position is more special than that of outfield players. “That’s why it was very important for us to also show him that he is the number 1. That we don’t just say it, but also back it up with actions.”
Meanwhile, ter Stegen’s future is being discussed in Barcelona.
It was a good first step for Ter Stegen, but he will absolutely need to eventually steal a game for the Germans if he wants to win over what can be a very critical fan base in Germany.
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