Manuel Neuer has had an eventful year. Until autumn, the world-class goalkeeper was condemned to watch at FC Bayern as well as the German national football team. The 37-year-old is now in top shape again – and not the least bit tired.
“Overall, this year has certainly had a greater impact on me than any before. It was a year of extremes. Looking back, I’m even grateful for a lot of things,” Neuer revealed in an interview with “Münchner Merkur” and “tz”.
The Bayern captain temporarily had to worry about the continuation of his career after breaking his lower leg on a ski tour following the World Cup in Qatar.
In the past few months, however, Neuer has made an impressive comeback, which will once again give the 2014 world champion every opportunity to be number one in the DFB goal at the home European Championships next summer.
Neuer’s working paper at FC Bayern was recently extended by one season until 2025. The veteran doesn’t want to set a career limit for himself.
The former Schalke player explained that he could only say that he “still has sporting goals in mind that still need a little time”: “I never said that I would play until I was 40 – rather as long as I enjoyed it, “I can show my performance and am needed.”
FC Bayern: Sepp Maier never doubted Manuel Neuer
Bayern’s legendary former goalkeeper Sepp Maier emphasized in an interview with “Sport1” a few days ago that he never doubted Neuer’s comeback. “He’s such a great goalkeeper, he just had to come back,” said the iconic goalkeeper.
In the duel for the place in the German box, Maier sees the Munich player as having a clear advantage. “Marc-André ter Stegen is a very good goalkeeper, but Manu is on the way to his old form, so there is no doubt who will be number 1 at the European Championships in Germany,” the 79-year-old made clear.