Why Manuel Neuer’s return for Germany at the FIFA World Cup 2026 is so important
Manuel Neuer will return to Germany's squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026 after reversing his international retirement. The Bundesliga looks at the Bayern Munich star’s importance to his country.
Neuer is one of the most decorated goalkeepers of all time. As well as winning 13 Bundesliga titles and two UEFA Champions Leagues with Bayern, he also backstopped Germany’s triumphant FIFA World Cup campaign in Brazil in 2014.
Trophy cabinet aside, he revolutionised his position with his ability to sweep up behind a high defensive line, as well as boasting distribution with his feet that wouldn’t look out of place for the average professional midfielder.
But after 124 caps – the last one coming at the conclusion of UEFA Euro 2024 on home soil – he called time on his international career.
“Anyone who knows me, knows that I didn’t make this decision lightly,” Neuer posted on Instagram at the time. “After many intense and long discussions with my family and friends, I have decided that right now is the right time to close my chapter.”
The decision seemed to be final, and was accepted by national team coach Julian Nagelsmann. Marc-André ter Stegen finally looked poised to take the No.1 jersey on a full-time basis… But injury meant Germany’s goalkeeper position was again up for grabs.
Nagelsmann has cycled through a number of contenders; Oliver Baumann, Alexander Nübel, Kevin Trapp, Finn Dahmen, Stefan Ortega, Janis Blaswich and Bernd Leno have all been tried. Baumann has since come out on top and, until Neuer’s recall, was heading to Canada, Mexico and the United States as first choice.
“We’re killing Oli Baumann right now. We are killing him in the media, just as we stand here. I believe this helps neither Julian, nor Germany, nor the boy himself,” Sami Khedira, another of the 2014 vintage, said in an impassioned defence of the Hoffenheim man before Bayern faced Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final in April.
But then Bayern played Real. And Neuer put in a performance that very few goalkeepers, past or present, are capable of. The 40-year-old rolled back the years with nine saves to help his side to a 2-1 win. It was the most stops against Madrid in a knock-out match at the Santiago Bernabéu. Ever.
Was it a blip? A brief flash of a talent that once was? Neuer’s Bundesliga performances this season would suggest otherwise. Baumann (101), Nübel (112) and even Dahmen (116) all made more saves than Neuer (34) this Bundesliga campaign just gone, but Neuer’s goals conceded per game shakes out a league-best 0.97 per 90 minutes – making him the only goalkeeper with less than one goal against when he plays.
And whilst it might be true that Bayern were on the front foot more often than not in a season in which they wrapped up the title with four games to spare, Neuer is a significant part of the reason his side concede so few. His wearing of the captain’s armband at Bayern is as much to do with the calm he exudes as it is his incredible longevity.
”Manu can lead any team. He’s been the best goalkeeper in the world for 20 years,” said Joshua Kimmich, speaking from a position of authority on the issue having led club and country out in Neuer’s absence – self-imposed in the case of the former, sometimes injury-induced with the latter.
Should Neuer start Germany’s World Cup opener against Curaçao in Houston on 14 July, he would overtake Jens Lehmann as his nation’s oldest ever goalkeeper at a major tournament. Indeed, at 40 years, three months and 18 days of age he would surpass Lothar Matthäus for the outright record, too.
But, if you’re good enough, you’re young enough: just ask Dino Zoff, who was also 40 when he captained Italy to victory over Matthäus’ West Germany at the Spain 1982 World Cup.
Matthäus has been one of Neuer’s biggest advocates. “This [version of] Neuer is world class, he belongs in the national team,” he said after the Madrid display. “I hope Nagelsmann watched the game.”
Apparently he did, and many others. That Neuer has returned to the national team a month out from the World Cup is no slight on Baumann. Khedira will meet little disagreement that he is indeed a fine goalkeeper. But Neuer is the greatest of all time. And leaving him at home would have felt a huge missed opportunity.
