Sunday 28 February 2021, 09:00

Ter Stegen talks perseverance, fatherhood and pressure with PlayOn 

Let Marc-André ter Stegen, Germany and Barcelona goalkeeper, take you on a journey through his life story with the tracks that he has chosen for this week’s episode of the FIFA PlayOn Podcast. From the club anthem of his childhood to a song dedicated to his one-year-old son, Ter Stegen’s picks touch on the major milestones of his life.

Ter Stegen and his fellow guest, Danish singer-songwriter Lukas Graham, share their childhood dreams with the podcast’s host, global chart-topping artist Liam Payne, and co-host, sports broadcaster Jaydee Dyer.

For the first of the six tracks to tell the story of his life, the goalkeeper has picked a Borussia club anthem, which reminds him of attending games when he was a boy. “It was always something really special to me to go to the stadium,” he says. “It was the start of something. I saw the players having fun on the pitch and it was something I also wanted to experience.”

Ter Stegen also speaks about having a “plan B” if he had not made it as a footballer, the impact of his performances for Germany’s national youth teams, and how the pressure of performing on the world stage has changed – and how it compares to getting married!

The group discusses the shot-stopper’s move from Borussia Monchengladbach to Barcelona in 2014, an experience he describes as “scary.” The 28-year-old adds, “I had never been to Barcelona before, so I didn’t have any idea of what to expect.”

Ter Stegen, who is now settled in the “beautiful city” of Barcelona, still has plenty of affection for Monchengladbach, his home town, where his love of football blossomed.

In a relaxed and revealing discussion, the podcast guests and hosts also discuss playing EA Sports FIFA, with one of Ter Stegen’s musical selections being an iconic track from an early release in the series.

To listen to the latest FIFA PlayOn Podcast, CLICK HERE.