The question of whether Manuel Neuer should return to the DFB team is still very present. The national coach will have to think carefully about this.
After the home European Championships 2024, Manuel was new. He said goodbye to the German national team, after many successes and a total of 14 years as number one in the goal. That was more than a year ago, and yet new things are so present in many discussions and the minds of experts and fans as if he continues to belong to the current squad of the DFB team.
The increasingly louder demands: Neuer has to come back – and be in the goal at the World Cup next summer. What he still excludes for himself, at least at the moment.
As a result: national coach Julian Nagelsmann has a new problem. Not a desired problem, but one that will continue to accompany him for the next few months and will ultimately make a difficult decision.
There is no question that Manuel Neuer is one of the best goalkeepers in the world. His values this season are outstanding. In eight competitive games, he conceded only five goals and warded off 74 percent of all balls coming on his goal. Despite his injury problems that occur again and again, the fact that Neuer is now 39 years old is hardly noticeable. So there would be enough reasons to bring him back to the national team.
Julian Nagelsmann still excludes this. There is a simple reason for this: he puts all his trust in his clearly explained number one, Marc-André Ter Stegen. However, this is currently injured and will be out until the end of the year. When he can go back to the square is the big question. Nobody knows whether it extends to the World Cup. Because he would have to play for that, and that is hardly imaginable with his current club, FC Barcelona, after the quarrels of the past few months.
The duo Oliver Baumann and Alexander Nübel are set for the upcoming games. In addition, Finn Dahmen and Noah Atubolu are in the other places. Trades Nagelsmann to you, the new discussion will not end. If he thinks again and brings Neuer back, critics will say that he is installing the future. A dilemma for the national coach.
One thing is clear: Julian Nagelsmann runs the time. In spring at the latest, he has to make a decision about Manuel Neuer. And maybe he should remember his experience with Toni Kroos, whom he got out of retirement shortly before the home of the home to bring stability back. “He will do us well with his experience and routine,” he said at the time. The quote could be transferred one to one to a return from Manuel Neuer. And maybe it would be the crucial step to increase Germany’s chances at the 2026 World Cup.