The 2024 European Championship was their last major tournament with the national soccer team, after which three 2014 soccer world champions ended their careers: Thomas Müller, Toni Kroos and Manuel Neuer. But if the DFB has its way, the trio would be happy to return to the association in a different role.
For many years, Thomas Müller, Manuel Neuer and Toni Kroos were the faces of the German national football team. The two FC Bayern professionals and the former Real Madrid midfielder, who completely hung up his football boots last summer, shaped the DFB team on and off the pitch. The highlight of her illustrious career: the 2014 World Cup title in Brazil.
After Kroos had already resigned after the quarter-final exit at Home 2024, Müller and Neuer later also took their hats off from the national team and resigned. The duo – together with Ilkay Gündogan – said goodbye in mid-October. But at best this was only a temporary farewell, as DFB managing director Sport Andreas Rettig revealed in “kicker”.
When asked whether such “lighthouses” like Müller and Neue (and also Kroos) should be integrated into the world’s largest sports association after their active careers, Rettig was clear: “If they can continue to identify with the DFB in the future, the answer is in best case: yes.”
A clear invitation from the DFB sports director for the trio. “First of all, it depends on which path you want to take yourself,” reminded Rettig, who also knows that for Müller and Neuer it is currently still unclear how long they will continue to play. It is expected that the Bayern duo will be extended again in Munich for at least a year in the next few months.
DFB wants “closer ties” to former national players
For the DFB, it was “extremely important” that Müller, Neuer and Gündogan “were given a worthy farewell in the stadium in an incredibly emotional setting,” and the DFB boss was pleased that this was “successful.” if Toni Kroos unfortunately couldn’t be there that evening.” The deserving national players were able to enjoy special applause before the later 1-0 win against the Netherlands in the Allianz Arena in Munich and a great choreo.
The Allianz Arena will say goodbye to the DFB quartet in October 2024
Regardless of the names brought up by the “kicker”, according to Rettig, the DFB “wants to have a closer bond with our ex-national players in the future. We can do something in different areas and win them over: for example around coaching training, that Refereeing or management. The topic of training and further education is a very big one in our academy,” revealed the DFB sports director.