“Not favourable” – Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann delivers Marc-Andre ter Stegen verdict ahead of World Cup

Berlin – Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann has all but closed the door on Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s hopes of claiming the No. 1 shirt at this summer’s World Cup, admitting the goalkeeper’s ongoing fitness battle leaves his selection prospects in jeopardy.

Ter Stegen, 33, has endured a torrid campaign, managing only three competitive appearances for Barcelona and subsequent loan club Girona after undergoing back surgery last summer. A torn hamstring sustained after just two matches in Montilivi has ruled him out until at least April, giving him a scant six-week window to prove his readiness for the global tournament.

Speaking ahead of the national team’s upcoming camp, Nagelsmann did not hide his concern.

“There are three things to consider regarding the goalkeeper position,” the Germany manager told Sempre Barca. “It’s a tragic injury (for ter Stegen), which I deeply regret. I will never rule him out completely because it is his turn. We have to make the right decision for him and for us. And at the moment, the situation is not favourable.”

The blunt assessment effectively confirms that ter Stegen’s long-held ambition of starting for Germany at a major finals is hanging by a thread. With the shot-stopper already in the twilight of his career, the 2026 World Cup was viewed as his best – and perhaps last – opportunity to usurp the incumbent starter and finally lead the team onto the sport’s biggest stage.

Instead, the timeline of his rehabilitation has collided head-on with Nagelsmann’s selection deadlines, forcing the coaching staff to contemplate life without the veteran keeper.

Germany’s depth between the posts offers little solace to ter Stegen. Bayern Munich’s Jonas Urbig and SC Freiburg’s Noah Atubolu have both impressed domestically and are viewed as heirs apparent. The pair, still in their early twenties, are expected to push for inclusion in the current cycle and could cement their places well before the 2030 finals in Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

For ter Stegen, the coming weeks will be a race against the clock. Without competitive minutes before Nagelsmann finalises his roster, Germany’s most-capped goalkeeper in the post-Buffon era risks watching the tournament from the sidelines, his dream of leading Die Mannschaft deferred indefinitely.