“Of course it’s a different feeling,” he told reporters at the camp in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, on Thursday. He was referring to the fact that this is the first international break he has been to as such of the national team Obvious number 1, confirmed by the coach
“Marc-Andre ter Stegen deserves to be the new first-choice goalkeeper,” Nagelsmann told reporters in Herzogenaurach on Monday.
“He has excelled at Barcelona for many years and has earned that right.”
Ter Stegen described the effect the coach’s words had on him in a very German way, calling him out “Balm for the Soul” (“Balm for the Soul”).
Ambition fulfilled
“My goal has always been to be No. 1,” the 32-year-old stressed.
“I am happy that the waiting time is over now. Yes, I am happy about the new work, about what is coming. I want to succeed. “
Even the Mönchengladbach native, who made his national team debut in 2012, admitted that all of Neuer’s years of study were frustrating at times.
“To be honest there were always moments when you said: ‘Wow, that was another blow.’ The decision went largely in favor of Manu. But I dealt with it professionally,” he said.
Tribute to Neuer
“Unfortunately, I had a goalkeeper in front of me who always managed to jump forward. Congratulations to him for what he has achieved with the national team.”
In that number 2 role, Ter Stegen made 40 appearances for his country as an understudy before finally securing the top job on a more permanent basis.
Ter Stegen’s only tournament as a starter was the 2017 Confederations Cup – which Germany won – as then-coach Joachim Low rested Neuer and several others a year before the World Cup in Russia. Other than that, most of his starts came either in friendlies or when Neuer was injured.
He is set to begin what he hopes will be several years as Germany’s first-choice keeper as the national team open their Nations League campaign by hosting Hungary in Düsseldorf on Saturday.
Germany will do so with a new captain, Joshua Kimmich, replacing Nagelsmann, one of whom retired from international football after the domestic Euros this summer.
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