Klopp declares ter Stegen the number‑one goalkeeper for now
Jürgen Klopp has declared Marc‑André ter Stegen “for the moment” as the number‑one goalkeeper, while the 30‑year‑old keeper at Ajax Amsterdam has regained his old form and is currently injury‑free. The former Barcelona star is said to be heralding the happy ending of his long‑standing national team selection.
Form and Fitness at Ajax
Marc‑André ter Stegen has regained his old form at Ajax Amsterdam and is currently injury‑free. He featured in seven league matches, while he missed the most recent game out of pure precaution. Klopp emphasized: „He is fit at the moment, he is exactly the same goalkeeper he was before.“
After moving to Ajax, Marc‑André ter Stegen said: „I am in top shape and am very happy that I can stand on the pitch and play without any problems.“ Marc emphasizes that he wants to play every match this season. With this he underlines the desired happy ending of his career.
Klopp puts ter Stegen at Number One
At the press conference where Jürgen Klopp presented the DFB squad for the opening matches, he explicitly named ter Stegen as number 1, ahead of four other candidates. The new national team coach saw a stable defensive axis with the keeper as a key prerequisite for a young, tempo‑ and press‑oriented team. He added: „Only in this way can you spin around on the outside, be crazy and mix in a lot of youth.“
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Klopp added that ter Stegen brings the necessary experience and is precisely the goalkeeper needed for the desired playing system. He emphasized that the current form at Ajax is a decisive factor in stabilising the young national team. With this, ter Stegen is once again appointed as the “old” and “best” in the goalkeeper pool.
Past Setbacks and Competition
The keeper’s past, however, is marked by serious injuries: On 22 September 2024 he tore his patellar tendon in a league match against Villarreal and was out for 214 days. Further setbacks followed, including a back operation in the summer and a thigh injury after only two games with FC Girona, causing him to miss the 2026 World Cup. After his long lay‑off, Manuel Neuer returned as number 1, before retiring permanently and leaving the position vacant again.
Ter Stegen made his debut in April 2011 at the age of eighteen with Borussia Mönchengladbach and quickly became the first‑choice goalkeeper. In 2014 he moved to FC Barcelona, winning seven Spanish league titles, six cups and the 2014/15 Champions League. In the 2022/23 season he was named the best player of La Liga as the first goalkeeper ever.
The contrast between ter Stegen’s regained fitness and his injury‑laden history highlights why Klopp lists him only “for the moment”. Whether he can complete the happy ending by Euro 2028, when he will be thirty‑six, remains uncertain, but the current selection lays the foundation for a possible tournament debut as number 1.