Ter Stegen’s World Cup dream: Shabby digs and relegation fight

Marc-André ter Stegen has deliberately chosen the difficult path. Out of the spotlight of the once-again playable Camp Nou, straight into the brutal relegation battle. After more than a decade at FC Barcelona, the 33-year-old will now guard the goal for FC Girona.

His new employer could hardly be further removed from Barça in terms of sporting level, atmosphere, and infrastructure. But for ter Stegen, only the 2026 World Cup matters right now. That’s where he wants to start for the first time in his career as Germany’s number one!

A Move for the Neuer Legacy

The situation is clear. After Manuel Neuer’s retirement in the summer of 2024, the path seemed open. Julian Nagelsmann made it clear early on that he was counting on ter Stegen. Ter Stegen finally wanted to step out of his predecessor’s eternal shadow.

But just a year later, in the summer of 2025, everything was thrown into turmoil. In Barcelona, ter Stegen lost his starting spot, displaced by new signing Joan Garcia. Then a persistent back injury sidelined him for four and a half months. His only competitive appearance this season was a Copa del Rey match in mid-December 2025. Far too little to look towards the World Cup with a clear conscience.

A winter transfer was therefore inevitable. Without match practice, even Nagelsmann’s guarantees are worthless. Especially since Oliver Baumann made a strong case for himself during ter Stegen’s absence from the national team. That’s why he went to Girona. The city of 100,000 inhabitants might raise eyebrows among many German fans at first, but for ter Stegen, it fits surprisingly well.

It’s only an hour and a half by car from Barcelona, so no move is necessary and he remains close to his family. Most importantly, the former Gladbach player finally has the prospect of regular playing time.

Suddenly, It’s All About Relegation!

Sportingly, however, Girona is currently anything but a comfort zone. Despite a clear upward trend in recent weeks, the club remains stuck at the bottom of the table, fighting relegation and fielding the league’s weakest defense. A hefty 34 goals conceded and the second-most shots faced are stats that command respect from any goalkeeper. Discipline is also a constant problem. The Catalans have received six red cards—only promoted Real Oviedo has more.

So it’s certain that ter Stegen will have plenty to do here. But that’s exactly the point. After months of inactivity, he needs match practice, plenty of balls to save, and the occasional high-pressure situation. And yes, even conceding goals. He needs to be visible, take responsibility, and decide games. In Girona, nothing will be handed to him, but that could help him in the World Cup race.

The goalkeeper situation at the “Blanquivermells” recently epitomized the chaos of the season. First-choice keeper Paulo Gazzaniga fluctuated between strong moments and major blunders. Loaned backup Dominik Livakovic preferred not to play at all, as it quickly became clear he’d be leaving again in the winter. As a result, Gazzaniga even had to play in the Spanish Cup in early December despite having a fever.

Accordingly, Girona coach Michel Sanchez was delighted at the arrival of his new superstar. “I am very happy,” he said with relief. “You are a leader and will give us a lot.”

📸 Alex Caparros - 2026 Getty Images

From Camp Nou to the Smallest Stadium in the League

Despite all these problems, Girona is not a classic provincial club. Behind the scenes, the City Football Group pulls the strings, and the chairman is Pere Guardiola, Pep’s brother. Their ambitions are quite high—the Champions League qualification in 2023/24 as third in the league was no accident.

But that shine has faded for now. What remains is a club from the Catalan provinces with the smallest stadium in the league. The Estadi Montilivi holds just 14,624 seats and is rarely sold out. A meager 11,671 fans attend each home game on average. Moreover, renovation plans for much-needed modernization have been on hold for some time.

For someone who played in front of 90,000 spectators for years, that’s a culture shock. But ter Stegen will have to get used to everything in Girona being seven or eight sizes smaller. That goes for the locker room, the stadium, and public attention.

But maybe that’s the price for his big dream. He wanted to go to the 2026 World Cup as number one and has traded glamour and a likely league title for a rundown stadium and a relegation battle. Whether this trade-off will pay off remains to be seen. He will get playing time. He’ll have chances to shine, too. And if he manages to stabilize Girona’s leaky defense, that could end up being worth more than any minute spent warming the bench at FC Barcelona.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

📸 Alex Caparros - 2025 Getty Images