Performance and motivation must be right: Neuer leaves the future of the DFB open – World Cup title is the big “goal”

By 2024 between the posts?

Manuel Neuer goes into the World Cup year as goalkeeper for the national team without any concrete plans for the future. A continuation of the DFB career beyond the finals in Qatar is nevertheless quite possible for the captain, who will be 36 next Sunday. In 2024 the European Championship will take place in Germany. The 2014 World Champion has not yet played a tournament in his own country – and the European Championship title is still missing from his personal title collection.

“My goal is not to play in goal for the German national team in 2024 and beyond. I’ve always said that I want to be there as long as I can help, as long as I feel good, needed and having fun,” Neuer said at a press conference on Tuesday about his thoughts. Germany will play Israel in Sinsheim next Saturday and the Netherlands in Amsterdam three days later. Neuer could then play his international matches 109 and 110, which would overtake Jürgen Klinsmann in the ranking of DFB players with the most appearances. There is already no goalkeeper in front of the Bayern professional.

“I’m really happy to be here with the national team. It’s still a great honor for me, even though I’ve been here for many years and played a lot of games. I’m happy to be part of the team. As long as that’s the case, I want to keep playing. Of course, my performance has to match that,” said Neuer. If he continues until 2024, he would be 38. In the history of the DFB, with Lothar Matthäus and Jens Lehmann, only two national players of this age were still on the pitch.

Neuer’s goals with the team are still big after the setbacks in the last tournaments. “As professional athletes, we are measured by trophies and titles. For me there is only one goal, that is the world title. We have made it our mission to have the vision to pursue this goal from day one. I’ll keep at it,” he said.

@Manuel Neuer: “I know that I won’t play as many world championships anymore. It’s important that we present ourselves differently again, have a successful vision in mind. For me there’s only one goal – the world championship title.”#GERISR #DFBPK #News #The team pic.twitter.com/VzUuQFFoDG

— The team (@DFB_Team) March 22, 2022

DFB Director Bierhoff: World Cup title for Germany “definitely realistic”

DFB director Oliver Bierhoff took the same line, confirming that winning the title in Qatar was an ambitious but justified goal after the successful start under national coach Hansi Flick. “It’s definitely realistic. We have top players in our ranks.” The 53-year-old also thinks it’s good that Neuer and Flick have publicly announced the maximum sporting goal.

But he also said that you “don’t go into the tournament as a favorite”. Under Flick, with whom the first seven games were all won, they “opened a new chapter”.

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