Germany's leading goalkeepers in dispute

Germany national football team head coach Joachim Low is facing a serious goalkeeper problem after the relationship of his number one Manuel Neuer and challenger Marc-Andre Ter Stegen reached a new low point.

A war of words between the two custodians emerged after Barcelona keeper Ter Stegen spoke about his disappointment at Germany's performance in a 4-2 defeat against the Netherlands and a labored 2-0 win over Northern Ireland.

90-cap Neuer indirectly blamed Ter Stegen for lack of team spirit. The response increased tensions as Ter Stegen demanded respect and said that Neuer shouldn't discuss such matters.

Ter Stegen's allegations may lead to his suspension from the national team. Some pundits and former national keepers are demanding a decision from Low, with some assuming any conflict could harm the team's performance on the way to Euro 2020.

Ahead of Germany's upcoming internationals against Argentina and Estonia, a decision from Low seems inevitable, with fans split over his possible reaction.

The country is in the middle of a controversial debate about its number one. In two surveys, over 50 percent voted for a change in the German goal in favour of 27-year-old Ter Stegen.

33-year-old Neuer remained in the starting eleven after the painful defeat against the Dutch, prompting 22-cap Ter Stegen saying it was difficult for him to take.

Ter Stegen's last competitive game for Germany came back in 2017.

Despite a long injury break in advance of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Low declared that Neuer would be his number one for the tournament. But Neuer did not look at his best as Germany crashed out in the group stage, with Low facing criticism for his choice.

Germany's goalkeeper coach Andreas Kopke expressed his sympathy for Ter Stegen's dissatisfaction, but said the team's atmosphere would be in danger if no suitable solution was found.

Former national keeper and Real Madrid goalkeeper Bodo Illgner said: "If things don't resolve themselves, you might have to leave one of them out."

Elsewhere, Jens Lehmann seems to be on Neuer's side. The former Arsenal keeper said the Bayern Munich man is the complete keeper and deserves to be number one, while also taking note of Barcelona's chastening 4-0 defeat to Liverpool. "In a game like that, you need some good saves to make a claim afterwards," the 49-year-old stressed.

In recent decades, Germany's national team has had to deal with several heated debates between unhappy and ambitious goalkeepers such as Oliver Kahn and Lehmann, with former national coach Jurgen Klinsmann controversially choosing Lehmann as his number one for the 2006 World Cup.

Kahn earned respect and appreciation when he turned up on the pitch in advance of a penalty shoot-out against Argentina to wish Lehmann good luck.

Things didn't go so smoothly in 1986 when Uli Stein called then-coach Franz Beckenbauer a "Punch-and-Judy man" and was sent home in the middle of the World Cup. Former Cologne keeper Toni Schumacher was Beckenbauer's first choice at that tournament.

Neuer is Germany second-most capped goalkeeper behind Sepp Maier (96) and ahead of Kahn. Only 12 keepers have played over 20 games in the German shirt, with Ter Stegen ranked 10th on the all-time list.