Goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen said Thursday the end of a 12-year wait to succeed Manuel Neuer as Germany’s number one goalie felt like “a balm for the soul”.
First called into the squad in 2012, Barcelona captain, Ter Stegen will take the field as Germany’s permanent number one choice between the sticks against Hungary in Duesseldorf on Saturday.
In announcing Joshua Kimmich would take over from Ilkay Gundogan as Germany captain, coach Julian Nagelsmann said Monday: “Ter Stegen is the new number one”.
The 32-year-old has had a successful club career, winning the 2015 Champions League as well as five La Liga titles and five Spanish Cups with Barcelona.
Ter Stegen, who arrived in Catalonia from boyhood side Borussia Moenchengladbach in 2014, has played 40 times for Germany but was unable to push past Neuer.
With Neuer, widely considered as among the best goalkeepers of all time, retiring from international duty in August, Ter Stegen said that knowing he was Germany’s main goalkeeper was “a different feeling”.
“I’m glad the wait is over,” Ter Stegen told reporters from Germany’s camp in the Bavarian village of Herzogenaurach, saying the praise he has received since the appointment was “a balm for the soul.”
“I’m looking forward to this new task and to what I have ahead of me. I want to be successful.”
Ter Stegen revealed he dealt with the disappointments “professionally” despite feeling “frustrated”, but added “there were always moments where you said ‘wow, that’s another blow'”.
After their game against Hungary, Germany travel to Amsterdam to take on the Netherlands next Tuesday.