Did Manuel Neuer retire from football? The important decision made by Germany’s starting goalkeeper

Home Sport Did Manuel Neuer retire from football? The important decision made by Germany’s starting goalkeeper
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June 30, 2026June 30, 2026By Mario Vásquez
Did Manuel Neuer retire from football? The important decision made by Germany’s starting goalkeeper

During the afternoon of June 29, the selection of Germany was eliminated in the round of 32 of the 2026 World Cupafter losing in the penalty shootout against Paraguayafter the match finished 1-1 after 120 minutes, so the classification to the round of 16 It had to be defined from the eleven steps.

Even though the Paraguayans missed two penalties in a row, the Germans signed their first World Cup elimination from the penalty spot, since three of its figures failed in Boston, Massachusetts: Kai HavertzNick Woltemade and Jonathan Tahwho, unlike his teammates, sent the ball over the three posts albirrojos.

Faced with this scenario, one of the main ones indicated by the surprising Germany’s elimination against Paraguay was the experienced goalkeeper of the Bayern MunichManuel Neuer, who, at 40 years old, equaled the negative record held by Mexican Antonio Carbajal by conceding goals in 10 consecutive World Cup matches.

This is because the last time Manuel Neuer kept a clean sheet was in the final against Argentinaplayed in the stadium Maracana on July 13, 2014, when Germany won 1-0 thanks to a goal from Mario Götze. From that moment on, the German goal has received at least one goal in every World Cup match.

Did Neuer retire from football?

On Friday, July 5, 2024, after the elimination of Germany at the hands of Spain in the quarterfinals of the Euro 2024Manuel announced his retirement from the German national team. However, on that occasion, Neuer explained that he would continue defending the colors of the Bayern Munichso he only retired from the national team.

However, although Neuer had resigned from the national team after Germany was eliminated from Euro 2024 by Spain, the selector German, Julian Nagelsmannconvinced him to contest, at 40 years old, his fifth World Cup, after confirming a serious injury of Barcelona goalkeeper, Marc-André ter Stegen.

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“We are all sad and there isn’t much talking in the locker room, but we didn’t create enough scoring chances. It was symptomatic that we only managed to tie with a cross and a header. we missed depth“said Neuer after conceding goals in the three games in Russia 2018, in the three in Qatar 2022 and in the four he played in the 2026 World Cup.

Given the circumstances, the 40-year-old goalkeeper returned to withdraw of the national team after the elimination against Paraguay, but will continue as captain of Bayern Munich, because in May reached an agreement to renew its contract for one more year with him giant of German football, which has just conquered the Bundesliga.

There will never be another like Neuer

An environment desolate in the locker room and footballers destroyed for elimination. This is how goalkeeper Manuel Neuer described to journalists the first reactions after being eliminated from the World Cup in a penalty shootout at the hands of Paraguay in Boston, after becoming the most veteran of history in representing Germany.

For the goalkeeper, “it is very bitter“being left out of the tournament in the first direct elimination phase and without resources to harm a rival who, in his opinion, defended itself very solidly. Therefore, Manuel Neuer leaves as the fifth player with more matches in German history, behind only Matthäus, Klose, Müller and Podolski.

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