Nagelsmann speaks out on Germany’s goalkeeper battle ahead of World Cup

Julian Nagelsmann has offered his view on the battle to be Germany’s starting goalkeeper at the World Cup.

Marc-André ter Stegen looks increasingly unlikely to start in goal for Germany at this summer’s World Cup.

The 33-year-old was expected to take over as his country’s number one following Manuel Neuer’s international retirement, but injuries have since disrupted his plans.

After joining Girona FC on loan from FC Barcelona to gain more playing time, ter Stegen suffered a muscle injury that could keep him out for several months.

Despite the bleak outlook, Julian Nagelsmann isn’t completely writing off the 33-year-old for the World Cup.

“Out of respect for Marc, I never close the door completely, because it’s his turn,” Nagelsmann told reporters on Thursday (via Kicker).

At the same time, he stressed that any decision must “make sense, for him and for us,” noting that “things don’t look rosy” at the moment.

“This is a dramatic injury that takes a long time to heal. The worst part is that it’s tight because you have to consider the overall timeframe. It’s not like he played through last year completely; he was already out for a year,” Nagelsmann explained.

He added that ter Stegen should “recover, and then we’ll see,” stressing that any prediction is “very difficult.”

In ter Stegen’s absence, Oliver Baumann of TSG Hoffenheim has stepped up admirably. With Neuer having confirmed he has no plans to return to international duty, Baumann currently appears well-positioned to continue as Germany’s starter at the World Cup.

Nagelsmann summed up the situation, mentioning ter Stegen’s “tragic injury,” Neuer’s retirement and Baumann’s “outstanding” performances for both Hoffenheim and Germany. 

These three factors combined “say quite a lot,” the Germany coach pointed out.