Germany’s Next No.1: Matthäus on Goalkeeper Choices for Klopp
Lothar Matthäus has never been shy about opinions on the Germany shirt. This time, his focus is the one that matters most to Jürgen Klopp: the goalkeeper’s jersey.
In his Sky column, the record international laid out a clear hierarchy for the post-Manuel Neuer age – and it starts with a familiar name trying to rebuild his career abroad.
Ter Stegen: one last shot at the shirt?
Marc-André ter Stegen, now on loan at Ajax from Barcelona, is back in the frame. Matthäus named the 34-year-old as one of four leading candidates to succeed Neuer, who has once again stepped away from the national team.
Matthäus is convinced the Ajax keeper will be part of Klopp’s first squads. “He will definitely be involved,” he said, stressing that if ter Stegen maintains his level in Amsterdam, he is “a candidate for the number one spot in the Germany goal.”
The catch? For ter Stegen, another stint as a back-up is unlikely to appeal. After years as Neuer’s understudy, a string of injuries and repeated false dawns, he has never started a major tournament as Germany’s first-choice keeper. He had even been pencilled in as No.1 for the 2026 World Cup before Neuer reversed his DFB retirement and reclaimed the role.
Then came the physical breakdown. Back problems, surgery, a loan to Girona, a thigh injury, and a slow slide down the pecking order at Barcelona. Now, at Ajax, he is trying to stitch his career back together.
The numbers so far are mixed. Seven matches, 11 goals conceded, and an error in the Conference League play-offs. His Barcelona contract runs until 2028, but his future there is effectively closed. Any new chapter with Germany may depend on Klopp offering not just a call-up, but a clear path to the starting spot.
Urbig: the long-term plan
Matthäus, though, is already looking beyond ter Stegen.
For him, Bayern Munich’s Jonas Urbig is Germany’s future No.1. The young keeper is currently backing up Neuer in what is widely expected to be the veteran’s final season, and Matthäus believes the DFB must be proactive.
They need to “build up” Urbig, he argued, to ensure Germany has a clearly established first-choice keeper for upcoming tournaments. Age is the key factor: Urbig is the one who can span the most cycles, the man who could, in theory, carry the position across multiple Euros and World Cups.
In Matthäus’ eyes, the succession plan is obvious. Now it is up to Klopp and the federation to accelerate it.
Karius back in the conversation
The most striking name on Matthäus’ list, though, is Loris Karius.
The Schalke 04 keeper, once defined by a nightmare night in Kyiv, suddenly finds himself with what Matthäus calls “a good chance” of a recall – if Klopp bases his selection on current form.
Last season, Karius was outstanding in goal and played a central role in Schalke’s promotion. He has carried that form into the Bundesliga, including a standout performance in the 0-0 draw with Bayern Munich, where he again underlined his quality.
For Matthäus, the story that once haunted Karius should no longer define him. “The past he experienced with Klopp in Liverpool should remain in the drawer,” he insisted, a direct reference to the 2018 Champions League final against Real Madrid.
That night effectively ended Karius’ Liverpool career. Errors on the biggest stage, a lost trophy, and a relationship with Klopp that reportedly cooled during his loan spell at Besiktas Istanbul. He later spent time at Union Berlin before finally leaving Liverpool on a free transfer in 2022.
The move to Schalke in January 2025 changed everything. At 33, Karius has rebuilt his reputation in Gelsenkirchen and, in Matthäus’ view, has earned the right to be judged on his present, not his past.
A crowded field behind Neuer
Karius and ter Stegen are only part of a broader contest. Matthäus estimates that seven or eight keepers are realistically in the running for a call-up under Klopp.
Alongside ter Stegen, Urbig, Karius and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Noah Atubolu, several others have been linked with the national team in recent weeks: Alexander Nübel at Besiktas Istanbul, Finn Dahmen at Augsburg, Mio Backhaus at Freiburg and Oliver Baumann at Hoffenheim.
One name can almost certainly be crossed out. According to Bild, Baumann will not be nominated by Klopp, despite his consistency at club level.
The rest, though, form a packed queue. Different ages, different ceilings, different risk profiles. Klopp’s first squad could tell us plenty about how ruthless he intends to be with reputation and how much weight he gives to form.
Klopp’s first big decision
Klopp’s Germany tenure opens with an away trip to the Netherlands in the Nations League, followed by two games against Greece and a home fixture against Serbia. Reports suggest he is considering an XXL squad for the start of his reign, casting the net wide before narrowing down his core group.
Goalkeeper is the most symbolic choice he faces. Stick with experience and offer ter Stegen the major-tournament stage he has never had? Fast-track Urbig as the long-term cornerstone? Reward Karius for a revival that once seemed unthinkable? Or keep the race open and let the gloves do the talking over the next year?
For the first time in over a decade, the Germany goal feels genuinely up for grabs. Someone will have to own it.
