Manuel Neuer is set to return to the DFB goal. In the World Cup opener against Curaçao, the Bayern captain could set several records at once.
Manuel Neuer is on the verge of making his comeback with the German national team. The FC Bayern goalkeeper is expected to be back between the posts for the World Cup opener against Curaçao. It would be his first international match since Germany’s Euro exit against Spain on July 5, 2024.
At the time, Neuer had initially announced his retirement from the national team following the bitter quarterfinal exit. Some 23 months later, the 40-year-old is now returning to the big stage. There has been significant discussion about his return in recent months, not least because of the resulting demotion of Oliver Baumann, who was the starting goalkeeper during the qualifiers.
For Neuer, Sunday’s match in Houston is about more than just a successful start to the tournament. The Bayern keeper will play his 125th international match against Curaçao, which will also be his 20th World Cup match. This marks the start of his fifth World Cup.
With this appearance alone, Neuer sets a new German record. Until now, Lothar Matthäus was the only DFB player to have participated in five World Cups. Now the Bayern captain is tying the record-holding national team player.
Neuer could overtake Fritz Walter
Neuer is poised to reach another historic milestone as early as the opening match. Against Curaçao, he would replace Fritz Walter as the oldest German World Cup player in history. The captain of the 1954 World Cup-winning team was exactly 37 years and 236 days old during his final World Cup appearance in 1958. Neuer will be 40 years and 79 days old on Sunday.
The goalkeeper can also continue to make history in terms of clean sheets. If Germany keeps a clean sheet against Curaçao, it would be Neuer’s eighth clean sheet at a World Cup. This would tie the German record held by Sepp Maier.
Internationally, even more is possible. Fabien Barthez and Peter Shilton lead the global rankings with ten World Cup clean sheets each. Should Neuer go four more games without conceding a goal as the tournament progresses, he would become the sole leader in this statistic.
One record, however, remains out of reach. Dino Zoff was exactly 40 years and 133 days old in the 1982 World Cup final. Even if Germany reaches the final, Neuer would not be able to surpass that mark. He could, however, move up to second place in the ranking of the oldest World Cup players in history.
After the tournament, Neuer may once again face a decision regarding his future with the German national team. His contract with FC Bayern runs until 2027 following an extension. Whether he continues with the national team will likely depend largely on how this World Cup unfolds.