Stefan Ortega should actually spend a few relaxing days now. Manchester City, his employer, had granted all non-national players a week’s vacation during the international break, and Ortega had already identified a travel destination. But then he received this surprising call from Germany and the vacation trip had to be canceled without replacement. Instead of traveling to relax, the goalkeeper took up work for the DFB.
Even though the call-up to the national team caught him unprepared at the time, as he hadn’t heard anything from the DFB until then, he was happy to make the trip to Frankfurt and forego his November free time. He had been hoping for this promotion for a long time, even if he can’t expect to be deployed straight away. At the age of 32, Stefan Ortega now joins the group of late developers in Nagelsmann’s team and stands alongside goalkeeper colleague Oliver Baumann, 34, and players like Tim Kleindienst, 29, and Deniz Undav, 28, who are also all in an advanced stage of their careers made it into the selection squad.
DFB-Elf or Austria
:Waiting for Wanner
National coach Julian Nagelsmann wanted to nominate Paul Wanner and was rejected. The 18-year-old continues to play for the U21 – and thus keeps the Austria option open.
With Undav and Kleindienst, Ortega shares memories of a not-so-distant past professional life in the lower leagues. If Undav tells the story from Meppen in Emsland and Kleindienst from Heidenheim an der Ostalb, then Ortega can report from Bielefeld in East Westphalia. With Arminia and TSV 1860 he played three times as many games in the second and third league as in the first league – 191 to be precise. Until Manchester City made him an offer in the summer of 2022, which he didn’t want to refuse after a certain period of reflection.
Pep Guardiola once thanked him for winning the title
He would have preferred a Bundesliga team with number one status at the time, but for the time being he was only looking at a deputy role with the English champions. The Brazilian Ederson, 31, has been the reliable starting goalkeeper in Manchester since 2017 and has remained so to this day. Nevertheless, word has gotten around that Ortega is not just a conventional reserve goalkeeper, which is why it probably didn’t surprise any of his teammates that he now took a seat at the national team’s table, while proven greats like Kevin Trapp or Bernd Leno were not there.
Ortega is probably the best German part-time goalkeeper of the 21st century. His appearances last season, in the cup competitions and in the demanding league final, earned him rave reviews within the club. Pep Guardiola thanked him for winning the title (“he saves us – otherwise Arsenal would be champions”), captain Rodri declared himself speechless after Ortega’s brilliant saves in the decisive games of the season (“I have no words”). Guardiola praised the German-Spanish from Hofgeismar in northern Hesse as an ambassador of local virtues (“that’s German culture: stand up, don’t give in”), and Ortega was happy to confirm the compliment. He claims peculiarities of a typical German (footballer) mentality: “Hard work, commitment, will, discipline and professionalism.”
In the summer he therefore had reason to hope that City would improve his status. Ederson was in negotiations with clubs from the Saudi Arabian league, and a fabulous annual salary of 30 million euros – net – was rumored. However, a contract was not concluded and Manchester’s transfer demands were not met. Ortega is still the goalkeeper in the background at City. He has made four appearances this season and was recently assigned to the Champions League game at Sporting Lisbon. Guardiola then decided differently – and City lost 4-1.
With the invitation to the national team, Ortega now has another reason to reconsider his professional status. He dreams of the 2026 World Cup. Next summer he wants to play for a club that sees him as number one – Manchester City or even the Bundesliga. Demanding clubs that would like to fulfill his wish have already contacted him.
