Manuel Neuer is about to make his comeback in the German national team. After the FC Bayern captain had to miss the last World Cup test against the USA, national coach Julian Nagelsmann has now made a clear decision for the tournament opener
The German national team successfully completed their dress rehearsal for the World Cup with a 2:1 win against co-hosts USA as Julian Nagelsmann’s team entered the hot phase of tournament preparation
As in the 4-0 win over Finland, Oliver Baumann once again stood between the posts, while Manuel Neuer had to remain on the sidelines due to his persistent ailments
Many fans therefore wondered whether the Bayern captain would be fit in time for the start of the World Cup. After the game, national coach Julian Nagelsmann provided the redemptive answer
Nagelsmann announces Neuer’s return
In an interview with RTL, the national coach made it clear that the DFB’s number one will return in time for the tournament opener. „Manu will start training next week and play against Curacao,“ explained Nagelsmann after the win against the USA
It is therefore clear that Neuer will be back in goal for the German national team’s first group game on June 14 in Houston and will start his next World Cup as the regular goalkeeper
This is important news for the 40-year-old, as his recurring injuries had recently caused some discussion, with some experts even questioning whether Neuer was still the ideal solution for the German goal at a major tournament
Within the DFB, however, there was never much uncertainty in this regard, and Nagelsmann had always emphasized that Neuer would remain his number one provided he was given the green light in terms of his health
High praise for Baumann
With Neuer’s return, Oliver Baumann will once again take on the role of stand-in keeper, but the TSG Hoffenheim shot-stopper made impressive use of his opportunity in the two test matches
The 36-year-old played the full 90 minutes against both Finland and the USA and was in good form, prompting Nagelsmann to praise his replacement after the match
„I would like to pay Oliver Baumann a huge compliment. He is a super, super guy. He has put himself fully at the service of the team in the last few days and weeks,“ emphasized the national coach
These statements underline Baumann’s importance within the DFB team. Although he knew that he would be back on the bench after Neuer’s return, he put his personal interests to one side and impressed both on a sporting and personal level
For the German national team, Neuer’s return primarily means additional security and experience. Despite his advanced age, the Bayern captain is still one of the leading players in the team and is expected to lead the team through the tournament as captain
With the 2014 world champion’s comeback, Nagelsmann can now start the World Cup with almost his desired formation. After the successful test matches, the focus is now finally on the World Cup opener against Curacao, where Manuel Neuer will be back between the posts.