Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Manuel Neuer in verbal clash

Manuel Neuer (left) is the Germany captain and holds the number one shirt ahead of Marc-Andre ter Stegen (right)

Germany's two best goalkeepers have become involved in a verbal sparring match over the number one shirt.

Barcelona's Marc-Andre ter Stegen, 27, has had to play second fiddle to Bayern Munich's Manuel Neuer, 33, for all of his international career.

He has won just 22 caps compared with Neuer's 90 and has played just 45 minutes in the past year, in a friendly against Serbia.

His Bayern rival, Germany's captain, has played 10 matches including all five of their Euro 2020 qualifying games so far.

After being left on the bench for the recent matches against the Netherlands and Northern Ireland, Ter Stegen spoke out.

"It's not easy to find an explanation for what I am experiencing," he said. "I am still trying everything, but this trip with Germany was a tough blow for me."

Neuer responded by saying Ter Stegen should focus on the team, adding: 'I'm not sure if that helps us."

He told Sky Germany: "We are a team and should present ourselves as such.

"We have great goalkeepers. We have Kevin Trapp, Bernd Leno... these are all great goalkeepers who also want to play and then sit on the bench.

"We are a team. We have to stick together. The goalkeepers also have to stick together."

Those comments have annoyed Ter Stegen, and he addressed them at a news conference before Barcelona's Champions League group stage match against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday.

"I don't think it is up to Manuel to express an opinion on my feelings," he said. "Everyone has seen how I have conducted myself over the last few years,"