Nagelsmann labels Ter Stegen's World Cup chances 'very, very, very slim'

[p]The 33-year-old Barcelona goalkeeper, who is on loan at Girona, underwent surgery on a torn hamstring in February, the latest in a series of injury setbacks.[/p][p]Talking to reporters ahead of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/germany-ptQide1O/ghana-nNBjHale/?mid=6waiW2Rj"]Monday's friendly against Ghana in Stuttgart[/a], Nagelsmann revealed he had spoken with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ter-stegen-marc-andre/byxc46yl/"]Ter Stegen[/a] this week.[/p][p]The coach said the goalkeeper was unlikely to make the World Cup squad.[/p][p][b]"The chance is very, very, very slim, because you have to consider the overall situation,"[/b] said Nagelsmann.[/p][p][b]"He didn't play for a year and then got injured. He's been out for a year, so to speak, and played very little.[/b][/p][p][b]"He should give it his all in his rehab... But he's not 21 anymore. He's got a few games under his belt.[/b][/p][p]"I'm keeping my fingers crossed for him, but we all have to be patient."[/p][image alt="Ter Stegen has barely played this season" id="c2bc0dab-7cfd-4700-988c-db7036158c5a" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="e689b97f-a171-4316-8bda-876a9ef2f85a" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]The long-time back-up to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/neuer-manuel/Sh5KwIo6/"]Manuel Neuer[/a] took over as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/germany/ptQide1O/"]Germany[/a]'s number one when the 2014 World Cup winner retired after EURO 2024.[/p][p]Nagelsmann said as recently as February that Ter Stegen was Germany's leading goalkeeping candidate for the World Cup. Hoffenheim's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/baumann-oliver/MZ6BATVO/"]Oliver Baumann[/a] started the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/germany-ptQide1O/switzerland-rHJ2vy1B/?mid=xMB436h3"]4-3 friendly win away to Switzerland on Friday[/a].[/p]