"Last week saw FC Barcelona captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen leave the club to join Girona on loan for the rest of the campaign. Having seen his prominence within the team decline, the 33-year-old shot-stopper decided to make the temporary move to Montilivi so that he could play regularly, leading up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. With Ter Stegen's exit, there is a vacancy in the leadership group at FC Barcelona, who had named five club captains at the start of the season."
"Instead, the remaining captains, who were elected by the squad alongside the German goalkeeper at the start of last season, will continue to assume those responsibilities. They are Ronald Araujo, Frenkie de Jong, Raphinha and Pedri. As a result, Ter Stegen's departure, at least until June, will not trigger the election of a new captain to replace the German international. Barcelona will simply continue with the four remaining captains."
"Therefore, Araujo, De Jong, Raphinha and Pedri will be responsible for representing the dressing room in dealings with the coach and the club. This includes managing any issues that may arise within the squad or negotiating rewards and bonuses, among other matters. Meanwhile, if none of the four official captains are on the pitch, the armband will be worn according to seniority within the squad."
Marc-Andre ter Stegen joined Girona on loan for the rest of the season to secure regular playing time ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after his role at FC Barcelona declined. His exit creates a vacancy in Barcelona's leadership group, but the first-captain position will not be filled by a new vote. The four elected captains — Ronald Araujo, Frenkie de Jong, Raphinha and Pedri — will continue to represent the dressing room, handle internal issues and negotiate rewards or bonuses. If none of the official captains are available, the armband will be assigned by squad seniority, and other players have already covered the role when required.
Read at Barca Universal
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