Amongst the contemporaries of his generation, nobody can claim that they redefined their position quite in the same way that Manuel Neuer has. The ultimate sweeper-keeper, Neuer has come to define what the modern goalkeeper is expected to do – a revolution he set in motion from the outset of his career, and will be keen to add a crowning moment to as he heads to North America for his fifth FIFA World Cup.
Neuer isn’t the first goalkeeper to make it to five World Cup finals as part of the squad – Gianluigi Buffon did that for Italy, Guillermo Ochoa is gunning for history with a sixth appearance for hosts Mexico, following in the footsteps of countryman Antonio Carbajal, fondly called ‘El Cinco Copas’ in his homeland. But only Carbajal has the distinction of playing in five different World Cups, representing Mexico in every World Cup between 1950 and 1966.
Manuel Neuer has already been named as Germany’s number one for these World Cup finals, being drawn back to the international setup after his former Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann convinced him to return for one last hurrah. Having debuted all the way back in 2010, when he was still a fresh-faced rising star at Schalke, Neuer is hunting for World Cup number two in tournament number five – under a head coach who is two years younger than he is.
The old man of a young team – Germany depend on Neuer
And that will be the key – Neuer is now the only remnant of the 2014 World Cup winning German squad, having bid farewell to the likes of Thomas Muller: at 40 years old, he is the elder statesman of a very young German team, many of whom would have grown up watching the Bayern goalie lift the trophy in the Maracana 12 years ago.
Recently, Neuer has lost that indomitable aura that seemed to surround him in his prime, that made him the best goalkeeper of his generation. A series of long-term injuries through his 30s have played a role – he is not the same quality of keeper anymore, and has become quietly more error-prone. Mistakes against Real Madrid PSG in the rollercoaster UEFA Champions League knockouts this year will stand stark in the memory – dependability is the most precious mineral for any goalkeeper, and can Neuer still offer that in the twilight of his career?
But with the mistakes comes the ability to still pull off those miracle saves, to be a rock at the back, to be the commanding presence that any young team with title aspirations cries out for. Even if he made a costly error, he made up for it against Real Madrid, with save after save after save – eight in total at the hostile Bernabeu, against some of the best in the world.
Germany hungry after two WC failures after 2014
It is that ability to stare into the eyes of the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr, and to tell them ‘not today’, that any amount of surgeries and any amount of years can’t take away. They say keepers are a special breed, and Neuer’s mentality is the biggest example of that.
The 2026 World Cup will bring special challenges – Germany are a team with a point to prove. After their triumph in 2014, they have been bounced out of the group stage twice in a row, subjected to a trio of famous results as they lost to South Korea and Mexico in Russia, before falling short against Japan in Qatar.
The DfB in Germany has had to trigger some big changes, but their rock between the sticks isn’t one of them. The talent is undeniable – Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz, and Kai Havertz highlight their forward line riches, and there is depth too. But these are players who need a guiding hand, and having someone like Neuer there too be the veteran presence is key, especially as a player who would have liked more at this stage than one semifinal and one victory.
