Manuel Neuer confirms the 2026 World Cup will be his last major tournament for Germany, as he prepares for his 126th cap.
BERLIN: Manuel Neuer announced ahead of Germany’s second group match against Ivory Coast on Saturday that the World Cup in the United States (US), Mexico, and Canada will be his last major tournament, Xinhua reported.
The 40-year-old, who’s playing in his fifth World Cup, made the statement before making his 126th appearance for the German national team.
“I can’t see myself playing in two years at the 2028 Euro,” the Bayern Munich goalkeeper said. “It’s a gift to be here. I desperately wanted to be part of the team.”
Neuer outlined his ambitions to make his last tournament a success, saying that he wouldn’t be here “if I didn’t see the chance to win the title.”
The German goalkeeper explained his return after a two-year break, citing the burden of many club games. “I couldn’t have done all of it, the club and the national team,” he said.
With Neuer back at the squad, Hoffenheim’s Oliver Baumann is facing the possibility of being downgraded to Julian Nagelsmann’s second-choice after two years in the German goal.
“We had a long and open talk together and found common ground,” he said, claiming that things have been settled.
“It took a while for me to find out what I could take after my injury late in 2022,” he said, referring to his broken leg in a skiing accident, followed by several minor muscle injuries.
