The record international named four candidates in his Sky column. One was Ajax Amsterdam's Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who could succeed the once-again retired Manuel Neuer. Matthäus assumes "that he will definitely be involved", he wrote, and stressed: "If he continues to produce his performances in Amsterdam, he is a candidate for the number one spot in the Germany goal."
Long term, Matthäus sees Bayern Munich's Jonas Urbig as Germany's future number one. He is currently Neuer's understudy in what is expected to be his final year, and the DFB must "build up" Urbig "in order to have a clear number one at tournaments in the future. In terms of age, he is the one who can play in the most tournaments." He also named Schalke 04's Loris Karius and Eintracht Frankfurt's Noah Atubolu.
Overall, Matthäus said seven or eight keepers are in contention for a call-up. Alongside that quartet, Alexander Nübel (Besiktas Istanbul), Finn Dahmen (Augsburg), Mio Backhaus (Freiburg) and Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim) have also been discussed recently.
Lothar Matthäus: Then Loris Karius has "a good chance"
Karius, above all, has "a good chance" of a call-up if selection is based on performance. "Last season he was outstanding in goal and played a major part in Schalke's promotion." He also showed his class after promotion, for example in the 0-0 against Bayern Munich. "The past he experienced with Klopp in Liverpool should stay in the drawer," Matthäus added, referring to a defining moment in Karius' career.
Karius was Liverpool's regular goalkeeper under Klopp until 2018, before making serious mistakes in that year's Champions League final against Real Madrid and ultimately costing his team the trophy. Loans to Besiktas Istanbul and Union Berlin followed before the now 33-year-old left the Reds on a free transfer for good in 2022. During his spell on the Bosporus, his relationship with Klopp cooled, according to a report by kicker, which is why he never played for Klopp again. In January 2025 he signed for Schalke, which turned out to be a stroke of luck for everyone involved.
Ajax MediaGermany team: Why was ter Stegen never Germany's number one at a major tournament?
For ter Stegen, though, another shot in the Germany goal would probably only be an option if he were also promised a starting place. After several years as Neuer's number two and a string of injury problems, the now 34-year-old never got the chance to start a major tournament as first-choice keeper. He had originally also been lined up as Germany's number one for the 2026 World Cup, before Neuer eventually came out of his DFB retirement.
His body, though, had other ideas again, which even left him out at club level and pushed him down the pecking order at Barcelona. After a weeks-long saga and a back operation, he moved on loan to Girona last winter, where a thigh injury held him back. In the summer, ter Stegen agreed a loan deal with Ajax until the end of the season.
So far, ter Stegen has conceded 11 goals in seven matches, and he also made a mistake in the Conference League play-offs. His contract at Barcelona, where he no longer has a future, still runs until 2028.
Germany begin with an away trip to the Netherlands in the Nations League for Klopp's debut, with him reportedly set to consider calling up an XXL squad at the start of his era. The four-match international window is completed by two games against Greece and a home match against Serbia.