December 30, (THEWILL) – Marc-Andre ter Stegen has replaced Gerard Piqué as the club’s fourth captain in the wake of Pique’s retirement before the World Cup break.
Barcelona has a long-standing tradition of selecting a whole leadership group for the team, which typically goes far beyond a captain and vice-captain.
Within that structure, Piqué had been vice-captain behind main skipper, Sergio Busquets, until his abrupt Camp Nou departure in November. THEWILL recalls that he received the armband himself, following the shocking exit of Lionel Messi in 2021.
Due to Piqué’s departure, Sergi Roberto and Jordi Alba—previously the third and fourth captains, respectively—were both promoted, creating a vacancy for a fourth captain.
Ter Stegen, a 2014 transfer from Borussia Monchengladbach, is in his eighth season at Camp Nou and has previously been referred to by head coach, Xavi, as a “silent leader.”
The German keeper initially served as Claudio Bravo’s backup in La Liga, but started each Copa del Rey and Champions League match, as Barça won all three major tournaments in his first season.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
