Marc-André ter Stegen (Part 1)

Marc-André ter Stegen is a German professional footballer renowned for his role as a goalkeeper for La Liga club Barcelona and the Germany national team. Born on April 30, 1992, he gained recognition as a highly promising player in his youth and has since solidified his position as one of the top goalkeepers in global football.
Known for his exceptional reflexes, passing ability, and adeptness with the ball at his feet, ter Stegen has earned the nickname "the Berlin Wall" due to his remarkable reflexes and ball control skills as a goalkeeper.


After spending four seasons in the Bundesliga with Borussia Mönchengladbach, during which he made 108 league appearances, ter Stegen made a €12 million move to Barcelona in 2014. In his debut season with Barcelona, he achieved the remarkable feat of winning the treble, contributing significantly to the team's successes in the Copa del Rey and UEFA Champions League.
Ter Stegen has also represented Germany at various youth levels before making his senior international debut in 2012. He has been a key member of the German squads that reached the semi-finals of UEFA Euro 2016 and emerged victorious in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. Additionally, he was part of the German side that competed in the 2018 FIFA World Cup.


Ter Stegen's career took off at Borussia Mönchengladbach, his hometown team. In the first half of the 2010–11 season, he impressed with the reserve team and often found himself on the first-team bench. However, the senior team struggled, leading to the replacement of manager Michael Frontzeck with Lucien Favre in February 2011, with the team languishing at the bottom of the Bundesliga.
Despite improvements under Favre, the team's first-choice goalkeeper, Logan Bailly, struggled with inconsistency. Fans criticized Bailly, accusing him of prioritizing his modeling career over football. Ter Stegen's stellar performances for the reserve team didn't go unnoticed, and fans demanded his inclusion in the starting lineup. Favre eventually benched Bailly in favor of Ter Stegen for a match against 1. FC Köln on April 10, 2011.


Ter Stegen seized the opportunity and brought a newfound solidity to the defense. He remained in the starting lineup for the rest of the season, helping Mönchengladbach avoid relegation via the playoffs. Notably, he delivered a standout performance against eventual champions Borussia Dortmund, making several world-class saves in a 1–0 victory. This display propelled him into the spotlight and solidified his place as Mönchengladbach's first-choice goalkeeper.


Ter Stegen solidified his position as the first-choice goalkeeper at Borussia Mönchengladbach after Bailly was loaned to Neuchâtel Xamax and the No. 1 shirt was assigned to Ter Stegen, who had previously worn number 21.
During the summer transfer window, Bayern Munich secured the signing of Schalke 04's captain, Manuel Neuer. Neuer made his debut against Mönchengladbach, with Ter Stegen in goal, at the Allianz Arena. Contrary to expectations, Ter Stegen delivered another exceptional performance while Neuer made a crucial error that led to Bayern's 1–0 defeat. This match marked the beginning of an unexpected title challenge for Mönchengladbach, with Ter Stegen and fellow youngster Marco Reus serving as key inspirations for the team.


In his first season with Barcelona, Ter Stegen suffered an injury before the start of the league campaign. As a result, manager Luis Enrique opted to start Claudio Bravo as the goalkeeper for league matches, and Bravo went on to win the Zamora Trophy. Ter Stegen did not make any appearances in Barcelona's successful league campaign.
However, Ter Stegen was chosen as the first-choice goalkeeper for both Copa del Rey matches and UEFA Champions League fixtures. He made his Champions League debut for Barcelona on 17 September, keeping a clean sheet in a 1–0 home victory over APOEL. Ter Stegen played a crucial role in Barcelona's triumph in the Copa del Rey final, contributing to a 3–1 victory against Athletic Bilbao on 30 May 2015. Additionally, he featured in the Champions League final at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, where Barcelona secured a 3–1 win over Juventus. Ter Stegen's remarkable "goal-line" save against Bayern Munich in the Champions League earned him the "Best Save" award.


Ter Stegen's season had a tumultuous start due to injuries, causing him to miss key matches including the Supercopa de España and league games. However, following Claudio Bravo's departure for Manchester City on 25 August 2016, Ter Stegen became Barcelona's first-choice goalkeeper.
On 13 September 2016, Ter Stegen displayed his talent and resilience by both conceding and subsequently saving a penalty from Moussa Dembélé during Barcelona's UEFA Champions League match against Celtic. His contribution helped maintain Barcelona's lead, leading to a resounding 7–0 victory.


However, Ter Stegen faced criticism following a disappointing performance on 2 October 2016, where he made two costly errors that contributed to Barcelona's 4–3 defeat against Celta Vigo. Despite the setback, Ter Stegen remained committed to his playing style and issued a public apology for his mistakes.
Ter Stegen received praise for his role in Barcelona's remarkable 6–1 comeback victory against Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of the Champions League round-of-16. He played a crucial part in the late stages of the match, drawing a pivotal foul from PSG midfielder Marco Verratti in the opposition half, which ultimately led to Sergi Roberto's dramatic 94th-minute winning goal. This victory propelled Barcelona to the Champions League quarterfinals, where they were eventually eliminated by Juventus.


Ter Stegen's exceptional performance in the second league El Clásico of the season was instrumental in Barcelona's 3–2 victory against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu. His remarkable display, including making 12 saves, helped keep Barcelona's title hopes alive in La Liga despite trailing Real Madrid by three points at the time.


On 29 May 2017, Ter Stegen committed his future to Barcelona by signing a new contract, extending his stay at the club until 2022. The new contract also saw his buyout clause increased to a staggering €180 million.
Throughout the 2017–18 season, Ter Stegen continued to showcase his exceptional goalkeeping abilities. On 14 October 2017, he played a crucial role in preserving Barcelona's unbeaten record in the La Liga season with a series of critical saves, notably denying Antoine Griezmann's well-placed shots during a 1–1 draw against Atlético Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano.

References

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