Klopp settles Germany's goalkeeping debate ahead of November fixtures

Jürgen Klopp has made it clear that Marc-André ter Stegen remains Germany's first-choice goalkeeper heading into the upcoming fixtures against Serbia and the Netherlands.

Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images

Germany head coach Jürgen Klopp named three goalkeepers in his squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures against Serbia and the Netherlands, which was announced on Thursday: Marc-André ter Stegen (Ajax), Jonas Urbig (Bayern Munich) and Alexander Nübel (Besiktas).

After rotating between the three in his first four matches in charge last month, Klopp has now confirmed that ter Stegen remains Germany's clear first-choice goalkeeper.

“Marc is having a fantastic season in Amsterdam, and fortunately, the other two [Urbig and Nübel] are also having really good seasons. We're going into these matches with Marc as our number one,” Klopp said in an interview with DFB.tv (via iMiaSanMia).

"And this isn't about who happens to be making the better saves at any given moment, because goalkeepers need to provide a lot of stability and confidence. The number one requirement for a goalkeeper is to make sure the ball doesn't end up in the net. That's the most important thing. But beyond that, there are several other aspects that matter: How can he dictate our game, including when we're in possession? How does he handle these situations? And when we're defending with a high line, how early can he recognise those situations so that he can defend further up the pitch as a goalkeeper? 

"It's a strange way of putting it, but essentially, it's about knowing when to come out and deal with the danger – not trying to dribble, but simply clearing the ball. All of these things are part of the job. Marc has the most experience in this area, and, yes, we're going into these matches with him as our number one."

Germany face Serbia away from home on November 13 before hosting the Netherlands three days later.