Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann has confirmed that Oliver Baumann will be the Mannschaft’s starting goalkeeper for the 2026 World Cup.
Marc-André ter Stegen, the Barcelona goalkeeper currently on loan at Girona, had hoped to lead his country at the tournament, but a spate of injuries has made that virtually impossible.
In an interview with Kicker magazine, Nagelsmann said of ter Stegen’s situation, “Ter Stegen is in a very dire situation. He should be Germany’s starting goalkeeper by now.”
He added, “It’s not completely settled yet. The competition will be fierce, but he’s barely played for a year, which is a very short time.”
Regarding who will be Germany’s starting goalkeeper at the World Cup, he said, “We have Oliver Baumann, and he’s an outstanding goalkeeper. If he maintains his current level and fitness, he’ll have a fantastic World Cup.”
The 35-year-old Baumann has played 10 games for the German national team so far, and unless something changes, his replacement will be Stuttgart goalkeeper Alexander Nübel.
