‘Try to give my best’: Barcelona captain opens up after achieving major milestone vs Mallorca
Marc-Andre ter Stegen is one of the longest-standing members of the current Barcelona team, with the goalkeeper close to completing 10 years with the club.
In fact, the German international reached a key milestone on Friday against Mallorca, when he made his 400th competitive appearance for Barcelona.
Ter Stegen became the 17th player in the club’s history to achieve that milestone, joining club legends such as Andres Iniesta, Pique, Carles Puyol and even coach Xavi Hernandez.
Ter Stegen on achieving 400th appearance for Barcelona
Shortly after making his 400th appearance, ter Stegen expressed his pride and sent a message across to the Barcelona fans.
“Proud to wear this shirt for so long. I will carry this team with me forever. It is a super nice number,” the German said (h/t Diario SPORT).
However, the goalkeeper did admit that, “At first, I didn’t think about these things. But now have more meaning, the more games, the better.”
“I try to do my best for this shield and enjoy being on the field in so many games. I try to give my version and experience. In the end, it’s about this,” the goalkeeper added.
More records incoming?
Ter Stegen’s statement seems to suggest he is ready to continue his career at Barcelona and break many more records in the coming future.
This is significant considering the fact that the German was linked with a move to Saudi Arabia at the end of the season.
With 400 matches, ter Stegen is 17th in the list of all-time appearance makers for Barcelona. But by the end of the season, the German can realistically reach 12th position, overtaking the likes of Dani Alves, Carles Rexach and Andoni Zubizarreta.
If ter Stegen remains at Barcelona until the end of his contract, which expires in 2028, the goalkeeper even has a chance of getting into the top seven, overtaking Victor Valdes and Jordi Alba.
