Good news for the German national team: Manuel Neuer has resumed team training six days before the World Cup opener against Curacao, significantly increasing the chances that the 40-year-old will start the World Cup as number one as planned
After weeks of uncertainty, there is positive news from the DFB quarters: Manuel Neuer returned to the training pitch in Winston-Salem on Monday evening (local time) and completed the first session with his team-mates after arriving at the World Cup base camp
For national coach Julian Nagelsmann, the return of the Bayern captain is an important signal, as Neuer missed the two World Cup test matches against Finland and the USA due to a calf injury
Nevertheless, the national coach always stuck to his plan of starting the tournament with the 40-year-old as number one. Now this plan seems to be working
After the 2:1 win against the USA, Nagelsmann had already announced that Neuer would return to team training in the coming days. This scenario has now come true
Neuer ahead of first international match since Euro 2024
If everything goes according to plan in the coming days, Neuer will be between the posts for the World Cup opener against Curacao on June 14
It would be a special comeback for the Bayern star, who played his last international match to date in Germany’s quarter-final exit to Spain at the 2024 European Championship on home soil
Since his return to the national team, the veteran has been carefully built up and those in charge did not want to take any risks, which is why they deliberately refrained from using him in the preparation matches
However, a strong substitute was available in the shape of Oliver Baumann, who impressed with solid performances in both the 4-0 win over Finland and the 2-1 victory against the USA
Nevertheless, Nagelsmann had repeatedly emphasized that Neuer would remain the clear number one when fully fit
Huge interest in the DFB team
Meanwhile, the anticipation of the World Cup is also palpable in the USA, where the German national team’s public training session attracted a huge crowd
According to the DFB, all 3,000 available tickets were sold out within just four minutes
Many fans took the opportunity to take a look at the German team – and also got to see Manuel Neuer back on the training pitch for the first time
The captain’s return should also come as a relief for FC Bayern, as the experienced goalkeeper looks set to be fit again in time for the start of the tournament after the injury worries of recent weeks
If Neuer completes the upcoming training sessions without any problems, nothing will stand in the way of his comeback against Curacao. The German national team would then have its long-serving goalkeeper back between the posts in time for the start of the World Cup.