Germany (National Football)

Germany will try to lock up top spot in their UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying group on Tuesday, when they face Northern Ireland in their final match of 2019.

Die Mannschaft have already booked their Euro 2020 spot, but the Netherlands can still pass them in the standings and secure a top seed. Caesars has Germany as the -715 favourites over Northern Ireland, who check in at +1800. A draw is priced at +811.

Kick-off will be at 7:45 p.m. GMT/2:45 p.m. ET., and fans can watch via Sky Sports (UK) or ESPN 2 (U.S.).

Here is a look at the top of the Group C standings entering the final matchday:

AS IT STANDS IN GROUP C:

🇩🇪 Germany (18 pts)
🇳🇱 Netherlands (16 pts)
-------------------------------
💚 Northern Ireland (13 pts)

Netherlands effectively joining Germany in qualifying automatically due to superior goal difference.

— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) November 16, 2019

Both Germany and the Netherlands are already through to the tournament, seeing off a valiant effort from Northern Ireland.

One of the key results in the race for the top two came in the first meeting between these two teams, a 2-0 win for Die Mannschaft:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KMDOOyb_QI

Germany are coming off an impressive 4-0 win over Belarus, while Northern Ireland played out a scoreless draw with the Netherlands on Saturday. That result gave the Oranje the head-to-head advantage.

In Frankfurt, the advantage would appear to lie with the hosts, who have lost just a single match this year. That match saw the Dutch beat them 4-2 in Hamburg in September.

Manager Joachim Low has already made it clear he plans to make some changes to the team that beat Belarus, starting in goal:

Neuer starts vs Belarus.
Ter Stegen starts vs Northern Ireland.

...But which one should be Germany's No.1? 🇩🇪🤔 pic.twitter.com/YUcLTakYGZ

— DW Sports (@dw_sports) November 15, 2019

It's a huge opportunity for Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who has been stuck behind Manuel Neuer in the pecking order. He may not get a lot of chances to shine, however.

Northern Ireland's strong campaign has come courtesy of their defensive fortitude, not their attack. With just eight goals scored in seven qualifiers, they don't present a major threat going forward.

Kyle Lafferty is the team's top option in attack, while Josh Magennis is the only player who has scored more than one goal during this qualifying campaign.

Timo Werner and Serge Gnabry have been in great form in the Bundesliga. They should ensure Germany dispatch of their opponents easily.

Prediction: Germany 3-0 Northern Ireland

Germany manager Joachim Low said his side aren't among the favourites to win UEFA Euro 2020, which will be his fourth European Championships since taking charge of the team.

Only seven of the 19 outfielders in Low's current squad are aged 25 or older—four of whom are defenders—and he considers his side to be trailing some of their peers ahead of next year's tournament.

Low spoke at a press conference ahead of Germany's qualifier at home against Group C opponents Belarus on Saturday and said:

"We don't belong to the tournament favourites. France, England have been playing with the same players for years. There are the Dutch, Spain.

"Us, with our young team, we are not among the favourites because we are still in the process of change.

"Maybe in two or four years when the players are at their peak. I mean a lot is possible with this team and we are working on that because it does have a lot of quality."

The 59-year-old was appointed Germany boss in 2006 and has enjoyed a successful reign at their helm, though confidence was dented following a surprise group-stage exit at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Germany—world champions in 2014—also suffered relegation last year in the inaugural edition of the UEFA Nations League.

Die Mannschaft are currently second in Group C, level on points with the first-place Netherlands, against whom they hold an inferior head-to-head record.

The team triumphed 3-0 away to Estonia in their last qualifier in October, overcoming Emre Can's early dismissal to maintain their pace near the Group C summit:

Low added:

"We have had games where we played really well over 45 minutes and when I was surprised at how well some things worked. But we have not yet managed to do it over 90 minutes against tough opponents. That is the job we have.

"It is a bit like the situation in 2010. But to play for the title will be difficult. There are things that are possible but we don’t have the favourites role this time."

Hertha Berlin defender Niklas Stark, 24, has been called into Germany's squad and could earn his first cap against Belarus, while 23-year-old Freiburg defender Robin Koch is chasing his second Germany appearance.

Bayern Munich's Manuel Neuer remains at the centre of debate regarding who should start in goal for Germany, and Low addressed the head-to-head between the 33-year-old and 27-year-old Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who plays for Barcelona:

💬 Joachim #Löw: "We have spoken to the goalkeepers; @Manuel_Neuer will play against Belarus and @mterstegen1 against Northern Ireland."#DieMannschaft #GERBLR pic.twitter.com/1rsKU1Q7fo

— German Football (@DFB_Team_EN) November 15, 2019

Germany will secure a top-two finish in their pool and automatically qualify for Euro 2020 provided they clinch at least a draw when they host Northern Ireland on Tuesday. Goals from Marcel Halstenberg and Serge Gnabry helped them defeat the same foe 2-0 in Belfast in September.

Low may not consider his side as Euro 2020 favourites as things stand, but he'll hope his squad can close the margin to their rivals before the tournament begins on June 12 in 12 host cities. 

Germany cruised to a 3-0 victory over Estonia in UEFA 2020 European Championship qualifying on Sunday at Tallinn's A. Le Coq Arena despite playing the majority of the game with 10 men.  

Joachim Low's side suffered an early blow when Emre Can was shown a red card for a professional foul after just 14 minutes of the tie for a foul on Frank Liivak on the edge of the penalty area.

Germany went on to dominate possession in a goalless first half, but it was Estonia who had the better chances although they could not find a way past goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

The visitors improved after the break, and two fine strikes from Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan put them firmly in control of the tie.

Substitute Timo Werner wrapped up the win with the third goal on 71 minutes to move Germany back to the top of Group C and another step closer to qualification.

Germany were without the in-form Serge Gnabry for Sunday's tie because of injury. The national team announced before kick-off that the Bayern Munich man had been ruled out as a precaution:

ℹ️ @SergeGnabry will miss #ESTGER as a precautionary measure due to a muscular problem. #DieMannschaft pic.twitter.com/EvpbxSerys

— German Football (@DFB_Team_EN) October 13, 2019

Manager Joachim Low opted to play Can at centre-back alongside Niklas Sule and Marcel Halstenberg, and the Juventus man had the first chance of the game after four minutes.

Gundogan lofted a ball into the penalty area for Can to poke home from close range, but goalkeeper Sergei Lepmets was out quickly to make the block.

Can's next contribution to the match saw Germany go a man down 10 minutes later. The 25-year-old misjudged a pass and then flew into a challenge on the edge of the penalty area in an effort to clear but succeeded only in tripping Liivak:

🔴 - Emre Can's red card in the 14th minute is the fastest red card in a EURO qualifier since 10 September 2003, when Edgar Davids was sent off in the 13th minute in a 3-1 Netherlands loss at Czech Republic. #DieMannschaft #ESTGER

— Gracenote Live (@GracenoteLive) October 13, 2019

The dismissal seemed to boost Estonia, who created some good chances in the first half. Konstantin Vassiljev found an unmarked Joonas Tamm at the far post, but he could only side-foot a volley over the bar from close range.

Vassiljev then wasted another clear chance for the hosts. The midfielder met a cross into the box but failed to get the right connection on his shot, which was comfortably claimed by Neuer.

Germany's efforts on goal were few and far between in the first half. Luca Waldschmidt tried his luck with a shot from distance that forced Lepmets to dive and parry clear, while Marco Reus curled a free-kick onto the crossbar five minutes before the break.

However, Germany improved after the break and broke the deadlock early in the second half through Gundogan. The Manchester City midfielder latched on to a loose ball on the edge of the box and drilled a shot across goal and past Lepmets on 51 minutes.

Gundogan grabbed a second six minutes later to put the visitors in control. A clever backheel from Reus in the area set up the midfielder to shoot at goal, his effort taking a deflection off a defender on its way into the back of the net.

Werner replaced Waldschmidt just after the hour and wrapped up the win five minutes later. Gundogan picked out the striker on the edge of the area, and he cut past his defender and made no mistake with a low finish across goal. 

      

What's Next?

Germany resume their qualifying campaign on November 16 at home to Belarus and then play Northern Ireland three days later. Estonia play an international friendly against Ukraine on November 14 and then face the Netherlands in qualifying on November 19.

Germany will continue their UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying bid on Sunday when they visit last-placed Estonia in Group C.

Caesars have named Die Mannschaft overwhelming 1-16 favourites, while the winless Estonians come in at 42-1. A draw carries odds of 11-1.

British viewers can tune in via Sky Go, while American fans can watch via ESPN+. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. BST/2:45 p.m. ET.

      

Germany, the Netherlands and Northern Ireland are all tied on 12 points entering Sunday's action, which will see the Dutch face Belarus before the Germans kick off against Estonia. Only the top two teams in the group will ensure qualification to next summer's European championship.

When these two teams met in Germany earlier in the campaign, Die Mannschaft romped to an 8-0 win:

Another eight-goal haul seems unlikely, but Germany shouldn't be troubled too much by Estonia, who have picked up just a single point so far, scoring twice in six matches.

They haven't won a match since a March friendly over Gibraltar, beating the minnows 1-0. Their most recent result was a positive one, however, earning a point away to Belarus.

Germany have struggled at times in 2019 and have won just one of their last three outings.

In their most recent friendly, a 2-2 draw against Argentina, the four-time World Cup winners gave away a two-goal lead.

DW Sport's Jonathan Harding thought it felt awfully familiar:

https://twitter.com/JonBloggs66/status/1182058794991394817

Their sheer advantage in talent should be enough to carry them past Estonia, regardless of team form.

Bayern Munich's Serge Gnabry has been on a roll of late, and he'll be one to watch in Tallinn. The 24-year-old always seems to be at his best for the national team:

Serge Gnabry has now scored 10 goals in 11 games for the Germany National team.

An unreal talent for Die Mannschaft. pic.twitter.com/khNWTvcT21

— Squawka (@Squawka) October 9, 2019

A clash with lowly Estonia should also provide some of the new faces an opportunity to grab minutes. Suat Serdar, Nadiem Amiri and Luca Waldschmidt all have the potential to be major contributors in the future, and they will be hopeful of big minutes.

Prediction: Estonia 0-3 Germany

Germany welcome Argentina on Wednesday in an international friendly at Borussia Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park.

The visitors are without Lionel Messi after the Barcelona man was handed a three-month international ban for criticising referees at the 2019 Copa America.

It's the first meeting between the countries since 2014 when Argentina beat Germany 4-2 in Dusseldorf.

                                                      

Date: Wednesday, October 9

Time: 8:45 p.m. local, 7:45 p.m. BST, 2:45 p.m. ET

TV: Sky Sports Football (UK), TUDN (USA)

Stream: Sky Go, Univision NOW, 

Odds: Germany 4-5, Argentina 3-1, draw 12-5 (per Oddschecker)

                                  

Preview

Germany coach Joachim Low has confirmed Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen will start ahead of regular No. 1 and captain Manuel Neuer against Argentina.

Ter Stegen has consistently proved his quality in Catalonia, but the presence of Neuer has drastically decreased the caps he would have won for his country since making his debut in 2012.

Neuer is expected to be in the German net for the forthcoming 2020 European Championship qualifier on Sunday in Estonia, but his deputy will get a chance to impress in Dortmund against one of football's fabled nations.

According to Goal's Robin Bairner, Low explained his thinking about the goalkeeper position.

"Together with [goalkeeper coach] Andreas Kopke, we've decided that Marc will play in Dortmund and Manu in Tallinn. We've discussed it with both players. I have confirmed numerous times that Manuel Neuer is our captain and our No.1 regarding the European Championship—so long as nothing extraordinary happens."

Ter Stegen has proved himself to be one of the best sweeper 'keepers in world football, and the four-time La Liga winner is unfortunate to be operating behind an all-time great in the pecking order.

Low's squad has been impacted by several injuries to key players, with Julian Draxler, Antonio Rudiger and Leroy Sane on the treatment table at their clubs.

Bayern Munich's Serge Gnabry has been selected after excellent recent form. The 24-year-old bagged four when his club beat Tottenham Hotspur 7-2 on October 1 in the UEFA Champions League in London.

Gnabry's international record is also impressive, scoring nine goals in his 10 appearances for Die Mannschaft. However, just one goal in six Bundesliga games this term shows the former Arsenal player needs greater consistency.

Argentina arrive in Dortmund in improving form. La Albiceleste placed third at last summer's Copa America, but a 4-0 win over Mexico in their last friendly will have pleased manager Lionel Scaloni.

Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez scored a hat-trick against El Tri, and the 22-year-old could lead the line on Wednesday. Sergio Aguero and Angel Di Maria are both absent, opening the door for young talent.

Martinez has helped Inter to second place in Serie A, one point behind champions Juventus. Nicknamed "the Bull," the former Racing Club forward could soon be attracting interest from Europe's biggest clubs after strong performances for club and country. 

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has said he and Bayern Munich stopper Manuel Neuer are not fighting despite ongoing disputes about the No. 1 spot in the Germany national team. 

Bayern president Uli Hoeness recently threatened to stop making the club's players available for Germany if Ter Stegen took Neuer's spot in the national side.

That came after the pair both spoke out about the situation around the September international break, with Ter Stegen eventually labelling some of Neuer's comments "inappropriate."

Speaking ahead of Germany's double-header against Argentina and Estonia, Ter Stegen, 27, moved to clarify his position, per El Mundo Deportivo (h/t Colin Millar of Football Espana):

"I am not fighting with Manuel. Neuer knows that when I made those statements they [the media] went for me, not for him. We have a good relationship, very professional, we talk a lot but this issue has not been a subject of discussion among us. It is a good relationship and without any confrontation. There is no fight between us or anything that has led us to discuss it with each other."

Neuer, 33, has 90 caps compared to Ter Stegen's 22 and has started each of Germany's last 10 fixtures.

Arguably, though, the Barcelona man's recent form has been better than his countryman's has for Bayern.

Certainly that was the view taken by voters for The Best FIFA Football Awards 2019, when Ter Stegen came second to Liverpool's Alisson for The Best FIFA Men's Goalkeeper:

FIFA's The Best Men's Goalkeeper finalists 👇

🇧🇷 Alisson
🇧🇷 Ederson
🇩🇪 Marc-Andre Ter Stegen pic.twitter.com/eP1HRIxiJw

— GOAL (@goal) September 2, 2019

Germany manager Joachim Low has been understandably loyal to Neuer.

There was a lengthy period when the former Schalke man was widely regarded as the best goalkeeper in the world, and he played a crucial role in Germany winning the 2014 FIFA World Cup. 

Neuer is no longer the consistent presence he once was between the posts, though: 

Manuel Neuer on the other hand. He was the fifth worst first choice keeper in the league when it came to shot stopping, and allowed five more goals than an average keeper would have been expected to. pic.twitter.com/s8r4iLFM0y

— Hudl Statsbomb (@Statsbomb) August 16, 2019

Ter Stegen, meanwhile, is arguably at his peak and is consistently excellent for Barcelona:

For me, Ter Stegen is the best goalkeeper in the world and has been for a while. He’s also the keeper with the broadest skillset. There really isn’t much he can’t do, as his assist (yes, assist!) for Suarez shows

— Ryan Baldi (@RyanBaldi_) September 28, 2019

Low has an enviable problem on his hands, but he does not look likely to promote Ter Stegen above Neuer any time soon.

Per Marca, Ter Stegen will play against Argentina and Neuer against Estonia, but Low has confirmed the Bayern player "is our captain and, heading into the Euros, he's our No. 1 if nothing strange happens."

Bastian Schweinsteiger has announced his retirement from football at the age of 35, bringing to a close a glittering career in which he won the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the 2012-13 UEFA Champions League and eight Bundesliga titles.

The Chicago Fire midfielder, who spent 13 years in the Bayern Munich first team, took to social media to announce his decision.

In a statement he thanked his former clubs, which include Manchester United; the German national team, which he represented 121 times; and his wife, former tennis world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic:

The Time has now come: I would like to thank both, you and my teams @FCBayern, @ManUtd, @ChicagoFire and @DFB_Team and of course @AnaIvanovic and my family for their support!

Thank you! pic.twitter.com/jNSrXGNpxF

— Bastian Schweinsteiger (@BSchweinsteiger) October 8, 2019

Bavarian-born Schweinsteiger joined the Bayern youth academy in 1998 and made his first senior appearance for the club in 2002.

He played 536 times for the German giants, winning seven German cups as well as eight league titles and a Champions League.

Schweinsteiger departed the Allianz Arena as a club legend in 2015 to join Manchester United, where he won the 2015-16 FA Cup under former Bayern manager Louis van Gaal.

He then joined Chicago Fire in March 2017, and the MLS club has proved to be the final stop of his career.

Schweinsteiger retired from international football in 2016, bowing out as Germany captain with a World Cup winner's medal and two bronzes in 2006 and 2010. 

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has criticised Barcelona's Marc-Andre ter Stegen, the German football association (DFB) and sections of the media over their treatment of Manuel Neuer. 

Ter Stegen discussed his lack of playing time with Die Mannschaft during and after the most recent international break, starting a debate on whether he should replace Neuer as Germany's No. 1. Speaking to Sport1 (h/t Goal's Sam France), Hoeness was not impressed:

"That's a joke. I think it is not okay how the Munich press deals with that topic. The press in western Germany supports Marc-Andre extremely. As if he had already won 17 world championships. And I do not see support from the southern German press for Manuel. It is not okay to bring such a topic to the public.

"He [Ter Stegen] has no claim to play. For the keepers it is different than for the other players, because you can't constantly switch. The hierarchy has to be clear and say: Manuel Neuer is the No. 1. He has been the best goalkeeper in the world for many years.

"He was injured for a while, but it was clear that only he can be the No. 1 when he returns to his old form. And he has now.

"I would have expected more support from the DFB. We always have trouble with the DFB. First the removal of our three players and now the same with Manuel Neuer.

"It's not okay to allow a team-mate to go public on a topic he's only supposed to discuss with [coach] Jogi Low."

Here is video of the interview:

Marc-Andre ter Stegen's comments about his spot with Germany have Uli Hoeness pretty riled up 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/IcWOVsW0Wm

— GOAL (@goal) September 19, 2019

The removal of players referred to the decision to drop Mats Hummels, Jerome Boateng and Thomas Muller from the national team after the disastrous 2018 FIFA World Cup. Germany failed to make it out of the group stages.

Ter Stegen and Neuer have been going back and forth in the press since the debate over who should be Germany's No. 1 kicked off after the international break:

After #RBLFCB, Neuer responds to ter Stegen's comments. pic.twitter.com/IJhbgg4Wky

— DW Sports (@dw_sports) September 14, 2019

Ter Stegen: "Neuer's words were inappropriate"https://t.co/xUbdxeAAxq

— AS USA (@English_AS) September 17, 2019

The Barcelona man has backed up Neuer at every major international tournament since 2016, with the exception of the 2017 Confederations Cup. The 27-year-old has developed into one of the world's best stoppers in that span but continues to be overlooked in favour of the veteran.

Neuer was long considered among the world's best, but the 33-year-old suffered a serious foot injury during the 2017-18 campaign and has regressed since.

StatsBomb looked into his statistical production earlier this year:

Guys, we need to have an awkward conversation about Manuel Neuer. @TheM_L_G https://t.co/WEpVZaC0dO

— Hudl Statsbomb (@Statsbomb) January 31, 2019

He was in goal for Germany in the 4-2 loss against the Netherlands during the international break, and despite his poor outing, retained his spot for the 2-0 win over Northern Ireland.

Both impressed in midweek, with the spotlight turned on them on the opening matchday of the UEFA Champions League.

Ter Stegen returned to Germany and kept a clean sheet against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, putting in a phenomenal performance in the 0-0 draw. On Wednesday, Neuer kept a clean sheet in the 3-0 win over Red Star Belgrade.

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has said he thinks Manuel Neuer was "inappropriate" to question his comments regarding a desire to play more frequently for the Germany national team. 

Ter Stegen recently said it was a "blow" to sit out the two UEFA 2020 European Championship qualifying games against Netherlands and Northern Ireland. The remarks prompted a response from Neuer, with the Bayern Munich 'keeper saying the Barcelona man's comments were misplaced and disrespectful to others fighting to start.

Speaking in Germany ahead of the Blaugrana's UEFA Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund, Ter Stegen was asked about the situation and defended his position, per Sam Marsden of ESPN FC:

"There's competition for places and every player wants to play. That's football. A lot of the time you're happy, but there are also other feelings. I have expectations and I have to express them.

"You can see how I have behaved in recent years, and I don't think that Neuer or others have to talk about my feelings or assess them. His remarks were inappropriate, but I don't want to say much more. I want to bring an end to all this controversy."

Per Marsden, the match at the Westfalenstadion will be significant for the German goalkeeper:

Ter Stegen to speak at Barça's press conference later. Big game for him in Dortmund for many reasons. Favre v.important to him at M'gladbach, but game in Germany also comes amid debate over German No.1 spot, Neuer comments etc.

— Samuel Marsden (@samuelmarsden) September 16, 2019

DW Sports shared the comments made by both goalkeepers in the buildup to Ter Stegen's latest riposte:

After #RBLFCB, Neuer responds to ter Stegen's comments. pic.twitter.com/IJhbgg4Wky

— DW Sports (@dw_sports) September 14, 2019

For Germany manager Joachim Low, having two world-class stoppers to choose from would have long represented a luxury. However, he will surely be concerned by the spiky relationship developing between the two.

At the moment, Neuer is the first choice for the national side; the Bayern man is also the captain of the team.

Low's faith in Neuer was emphasised at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, when the goalkeeper was selected to start the tournament despite missing large portions of the previous season due to injury. Ter Stegen had excelled for a Barcelona team that had won La Liga and Copa del Rey leading up to the tournament.

The Blaugrana star has been one of the team's key players in recent years, excelling both domestically and on the European stage:

Alisson: Only Marc-Andre ter Stegen (6) has kept more clean sheets than @Alissonbecker (5) in the Champions League this season

For more player stats -- https://t.co/GfyWtooQmC pic.twitter.com/rmV0vnnHIN

— WhoScored (@WhoScored) June 1, 2019

One of the best saves he made last term came against Lyon in the Champions League last-16:

🚫 Marc-André ter Stegen 🙌#UCL | #LeftHandersDay | @FCBarcelona pic.twitter.com/Y8OJJZfT6h

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) August 13, 2019

At the age of 27, Ter Stegen is six years Neuer's junior; as such, the Barcelona man is the future of the national team. While the likes of Bernd Leno and Kevin Trapp are quality goalkeepers, neither are in the same bracket as Ter Stegen, who has developed into one of the best in the world at the Camp Nou.

The next international is in October, when Germany face Argentina in a friendly before a qualifier against Estonia.

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has once again voiced his frustration with his role for the German national team, where he's the back-up to Bayern Munich star Manuel Neuer.

The stopper didn't see the pitch recently in a loss to the Netherlands and win against Northern Ireland during Euro 2020 Group C qualifying matches, and he doesn't understand why, per Marca's Alejandro Segura: "It is not easy to find an explanation [for not starting] as I am giving the best account of myself in each game to make the decision more difficult. I am trying [to become the first-choice goalkeeper] anyway, but this trip with the national team has been a tough blow for me."

He expressed his frustrations earlier in the international break as well:

Ter Stegen admits Germany situation is driving him madhttps://t.co/EMxs9DaCe2 pic.twitter.com/XwmvuBa55f

— AS USA (@English_AS) September 8, 2019

Even though he's widely considered among the best goalkeepers in the world, Ter Stegen remains stuck behind Neuer in the pecking order. He has 22 caps since debuting with Germany in 2012.

The Bayern man has seemingly declined in recent years, costing his teams, per StatsBomb:

Guys, we need to have an awkward conversation about Manuel Neuer. @TheM_L_G https://t.co/WEpVZaC0dO

— Hudl Statsbomb (@Statsbomb) January 31, 2019

Neuer was considered by many as the very best at the position until injuries limited him to just three Bundesliga matches in the 2017-18 season. He hasn't been the same since his return.

Germany manager Joachim Low has maintained his faith in the 33-year-old, however. Neuer was one of the key men during the 2014 FIFA World Cup triumph, and Low has stuck by him ever since.

He did so again after the veteran conceded four goals in a 4-2 loss against the Netherlands during his 89th cap on Friday, prompting this response from sports writer Ronan Murphy (the German phrase translates to "when does hell freeze over?"):

Joachim Löw on Germany’s goalkeeper for Northern Ireland: "Manuel Neuer will start in goal tomorrow.”

Ter-Stegen currently seen Googling “Wann friert die Hölle vorbei?”

— Ronan Murphy (@swearimnotpaul) September 8, 2019

Ter Stegen was Neuer's back-up at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2016. He got his chance for Die Mannschaft at the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, which the Germans won and when he was voted Man of the Match after the 1-0 win over Chile in the final.

At the age of 27, Ter Stegen has time on his side, but it's easy to see why he's frustrated with so little playing time when he's in his prime and performing well.

Neuer rebounded from his tough outing against the Netherlands by leading the Germans to a 2-0 win over Northern Ireland on Monday, making several key saves and distributing the ball well.