Nagelsmann’s calculation is therefore simple: The national coach is counting on Neuer to be there in top form, as he has been in the club’s past, when it really matters – in this case in the opening game of the World Cup against Curaçao.
Nagelsmann wants to minimize the risk of injury
By foregoing Neuer against the USA, Nagelsmann not only wants to set the course for a successful game for the goalkeeper against the Caribbean island state. The aim of the measure is to “simply increase the probability that the tournament will go perfectly and nothing will happen,” emphasized the national coach, thereby also revealing a certain level of calculation. The risk of injury to Neuer should also be minimized with a view to the course of the tournament. The risk for World Cup participants of sustaining an injury in the coming weeks is probably higher than ever before.
This year’s World Cup is the largest of its kind to date. 48 teams are taking part in the XXL tournament – 16 more than at the last World Cup in Qatar. For players, the chance of injury increases significantly. The increased number of games, the long travel distances and the sometimes sweltering heat in the host countries USA, Canada and Mexico are likely to take their toll. Extreme caution is required, especially with older and injury-prone players – this also applies to Manuel Neuer.
“The important thing is the aura that surrounds him”
When it comes to his goalkeeper, Nagelsmann doesn’t want to leave anything to chance these days. Possibly also because another failure by Neuer would mean that Oliver Baumann, who had been demoted to number two in a quick move, would then move back between the posts.
For a long time, the Hoffenheim player looked like the starting goalkeeper for the World Cup, but then Neuer was nominated and declared number one. The national coach was widely criticized for his public communication on the goalkeeping issue. If Baumann were to suddenly play again, the drama surrounding the place in the DFB goal would be one more anecdote – and Nagelsmann would probably have to face some unpleasant questions.