FC Barcelona has always had players who seem to excel for both club and country simultaneously. Making it to Barça is in itself a big accomplishment, but delivering for their respective countries is also a big deal. Sometimes, however, even players at Barcelona can struggle to have the same impact for their countries.
At times, due to the great competition and pressures of various National teams, even the best club players are unable to fit in or find a place for themselves. This can be detrimental to their confidence, but it also presents a massive obstacle to the legacy that these players can create internationally.
Such has been the case for Barça’s trusted number one, Marc-Andre Ter Stegen. The German goalkeeper, formerly from the Bundesliga, has already spent around a decade at Barcelona. Yet, for as far back as most people can remember, the player has never had the same sort of significance with Germany.
That was all due to one man, and that was Manuel Neuer. The Bayern Munich shot-stopper has always been Germany’s one true hope in between the sticks and for good reason. One of the greatest goalkeepers of his generation, Neuer managed to overshadow Ter Stegen for all these years.
Now, however, it seems that the Barcelona goalkeeper may finally get to take his rightful place as Neuer’s successor. As highlighted by SPORT, Neuer’s recent retirement announcement means that the spot for Germany’s starting goalkeeper is now vacant and Ter Stegen will be the first to fill it.
Aged 32 at this point of his career, the former Borussia Monchengladbach goalkeeper will finally get his chance to represent his country at major tournaments. When Neuer was still present, Ter Stegen would barely get any chances at major competitions and had to settle for other opportunities.
Fortunately for him, that hurdle is now out of the way and he can finally step out of his predecessor’s shadow. It remains to be seen how he manages to deliver for both club and country now, but this is as big a chance as he will ever get when it comes to representing Germany as their starting goalkeeper. Ilkay Gundogan, on the other hand, has recently announced his retirement from the same National team and will also be leaving Barcelona this summer.
