Football - Newer on ter Stegen: "It's unfortunate to note"
Manuel Neuer made a triumphant return to the DFB team following an 18-month absence, filled with both delight and a sense of accomplishment. "It felt great, I've got to admit," said the 38-year-old after the scoreless match against Ukraine. The encounter marked his 118th international appearance, which he'd been anticipating for a long time since his severe leg fracture at the 2022 World Cup.
Julian Nagelsmann, the German national coach, had selected Neuer as the top choice for the home EM in March, instead of Ter Stegen from FC Barcelona. Neuer acknowledged the disheartened feelings of his longtime rival: "Marc knows the situation. It's unfortunate as he's truly a top-notch goalkeeper, who has consistently shown exceptional performances. Still, that's also a typical aspect of our profession."
"There's always just one person who gets the starting spot at the goalkeeper position," Neuer explained. Since the 2010 World Cup, he has been the first-choice goalkeeper for all significant competitions. During his extensive injury break, Ter Stegen (32) had hoped to secure the spot as the tournament's primary goalkeeper.
"I didn't even notice Jarmolenko"
Neuer made several decent saves against Ukraine. However, he could also breathe a sigh of relief that a significant error on his part near the end didn't result in a loss. Following a brief pass from Robin Koch, Neuer had left the goal and chipped the ball directly to the opposition. "I didn't even see Jarmolenko on the left side," Neuer recalled.
His slip-up proved irrelevant due to the offside position of the Ukrainian attacker before the unattended DFB goal. "The shock was minimal," stated Nagelsmann with understanding. "Within a fraction of a second, it was evident that the player was offside." Neuer could therefore sum up his return in a positive manner: "It's been a long and bumpy journey, punctuated by lots of hard work. If I hadn't stayed motivated, the end result wouldn't have transpired."
