“Both sides have shown interest”
A new comeback for the World Cup is possible?
May 1, 2026 – 9:40 a.mReading time: 2 minutes
After the 2024 European Championship at home, Manuel Neuer announced his resignation from the DFB. Now the discussion about a possible comeback is moving again.
Manuel Neuer could probably return to the national team after all. This is reported by “Bild” in its podcast “Bayern Insider”. Accordingly, national coach Julian Nagelsmann is thinking about bringing the 40-year-old back for the World Cup in the summer.
In the podcast, Bayern reporter Christian Falk initially recapitulated that Nagelsmann had postponed the final nomination for the national team until May 21st and that a possible nomination of Neuer could also be related to this. His colleague Heiko Niedderer added: “I’ve now heard it again that it’s definitely an issue, that there’s still a chance that Julian Nagelsmann might at some point jump over his shadow and say: ‘Man, this might be a good opportunity to show the football people that I’m letting people talk to me.'”
According to Niedderer, certain points have to be in place for Nagelsmann to actually change his mind. Neuer has to stay fit. At the beginning of the year he was missing with several torn muscle fibers. In addition to health, it is also important that he “of course has to play a few good games now” “in order to have this momentum.” If these two things are the case, it is clear to Niedderer: “Then I could certainly imagine that another door would open.
Falk sees it similarly, reporting on a conversation surrounding the semi-final first leg of the Champions League on Tuesday: “An insider also said to me that it should be on record that he (Julian Nagelsmann, editor) is thinking about it again. And Neuer and those around him are also supposed to know that the door is not completely closed.”
According to Niedderer, no direct conversation has yet taken place, “but communication has taken place via detours.” At the same time, he stated: “It is probably the case that both sides have shown interest.” A new comeback in the DFB team suddenly no longer seems as unrealistic as it did a few weeks ago.
Basically, the relationship between Neuer and national coach Nagelsmann is considered tense. At the time when Nagelsmann was still Bayern coach, the now 38-year-old national coach was partly responsible for Neuer’s goalkeeping coach and good friend Toni Tapalović having to leave the club. An incident that shocked Neuer and after which the goalkeeper even gave an unauthorized interview.
