The goalkeeper’s participation remains open, but a race against time will be decisive for him to claim Germany’s goal.
Despite a recent injury, goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen still holds a slim hope of participating in the 2026 World Cup, according to Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann, in an interview with ‘Kicker’, cited by ‘Diario AS’. The German coach stressed that the situation is delicate and the goalkeeper’s participation is not yet completely ruled out, despite the scenario being “very tight.”
“It is, of course, an extremely tragic situation for Marc that something so dramatic resulted from such a simple action as a normal pass,” Nagelsmann stated, recalling Ter Stegen’s growing role in the national team before successive muscular injuries compromised his continuity. With Manuel Neuer’s retirement, the goal seemed destined for Ter Stegen, but a sequence of setbacks delayed his ascent.
The coach further explained that the margin of hope exists, but it is limited: “The door is not yet completely closed, but it will be very tight. It’s not just about the latest absence; it’s also the time he has barely played for almost a year. That is extremely little for someone who should take on a leading role in this World Cup.”
Ter Stegen, who had been tipped as Germany’s first-choice goalkeeper for the competition in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, now faces a race against time to regain form and convince Nagelsmann that he can take the goal in the final phase.
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