The call from Max Eberl, FC Bayern’s sports director, for Manuel Neuer to make a comeback to the German national soccer team has met with criticism.
“I don’t know whether it was discussed beforehand,” said Oliver Kahn on “Triple – The Hagedorn Football Talk” and added: “It’s probably his conviction.”
However, Eberl’s statements are “inconclusive in themselves”.
“Manuel has announced his resignation. Then some people – including from FC Bayern – say he has to play in the national team. That doesn’t add up for me,” Kahn continued to criticize.
In “Sport Bild”, Eberl campaigned for Manuel Neuer to play at the 2026 World Cup. The 39-year-old is “the best goalkeeper in Germany!” Also: “He’s totally on fire.”
Neuer ended his international career after the home European Championships in 2024. He recently ruled out a comeback.
“The fact is, of course, that I resigned intentionally. For me, the focus is clearly on the club,” he said on “Sky”
New comeback is a hotly debated topic
Kahn had recently spoken out against Neuer returning to the DFB goal. “I’m a fan of saying that we have a new era and that we’re giving young goalkeepers a chance. Oliver Baumann didn’t do anything wrong in the DFB goal,” the 2002 World Cup runner-up told Sport Bild.
But there are some advocates. “If he performs the same as he has in the past few months, there is only one person who should be in the German goal at the World Cup: Manuel Neuer,” said goalkeeper legend Toni Schumacher to “Sport Bild”.
DFB sports director Rudi Völler is said to have already knocked on Neuer’s door. Many observers assume that the 39-year-old would not simply refuse a serious request to play the World Cup again in 2026.