The injury curse continues to haunt Marc-André ter Stegen, this time just days after joining Girona in hopes of playing in the 2026 World Cup with the German national team.
Ter Stegen left Barcelona approximately two weeks ago, joining Girona on loan until the end of the season, in order to gain consistent playing time and secure his place in the German squad for the World Cup.
The 33-year-old has already played two matches for Girona, but then came the devastating news: he suffered a serious knee injury that could effectively end his season.
According to Catalan media, Ter Stegen has a torn hamstring with the possibility of other hamstring injuries, and it is likely he will undergo surgery in the coming days.
Initially, Ter Stegen will be sidelined for at least three months, possibly up to four, meaning he won’t return before May at the earliest, just three rounds before the end of La Liga.
This will prevent Ter Stegen from achieving the consistency that coach Julian Nagelsmann emphasized as crucial for joining the German national team, making his participation as the starting goalkeeper in the World Cup highly unlikely unless he receives a significant exception.
Ter Stegen will leave his new club in a real predicament. The promising Catalan club paid him a substantial salary to join Michel’s squad and solve their goalkeeping crisis, and it’s rumored that even his loan could be cut short immediately, with Girona making a move in the final hours of the transfer window to sign another goalkeeper.
