Manuel Neuer has come out of retirement to become Germany’s first-choice goalkeeper for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Manuel Neuer has come out of international retirement to reclaim Germany’s number one shirt for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Coach Julian Nagelsmann confirmed the 40-year-old will start in goal after naming him in Germany’s 26-man squad.
The Bayern Munich veteran retired after Euro 2024 but reversed his decision following discussions with Nagelsmann. Neuer now looks set to feature at his fifth World Cup, joining an exclusive list of players to appear in five tournaments.
Nagelsmann admitted he personally contacted Neuer about a possible return to international football. The Germany coach had previously backed Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann as his first-choice option before changing direction. “Everyone knows the aura and quality Manu has,” Nagelsmann said after announcing the squad. Germany’s manager believes Neuer’s leadership and experience could be decisive at the tournament.
Neuer won the World Cup with Germany in 2014 and has earned 124 international caps. His last appearance came in the Euro 2024 quarter-final defeat to Spain, which Germany lost 2-1 after extra time.
The veteran goalkeeper enjoyed another strong campaign with Bayern Munich this season. Bayern won the Bundesliga title and also reached the Champions League semi-finals. Neuer’s performances against Real Madrid in Europe reportedly convinced many supporters he could still perform at elite level. Bayern also handed him a one-year contract extension earlier this month.
However, concerns remain over his fitness. Neuer will miss Saturday’s German Cup final against Stuttgart because of a calf injury suffered during Bayern’s final Bundesliga match against Cologne. Bayern sporting director Max Eberl insisted the injury would not affect Neuer’s World Cup participation. Germany’s preparations begin on 27 May in Herzogenaurach.
Germany’s squad combines experienced internationals with emerging young talent. Arsenal forward Kai Havertz and Liverpool playmaker Florian Wirtz headline a strong attacking group. Bayern teenager Lennart Karl also earned selection after a rapid rise this season. Newcastle United pair Nick Woltemade and Malick Thiaw made the final squad as well.
Nagelsmann also included five Premier League-based players. Brighton midfielder Pascal Gross joins Havertz, Wirtz, Thiaw and Woltemade among the England-based contingent. Germany will again rely heavily on Jamal Musiala and Joshua Kimmich. Musiala recently returned from a long injury layoff and impressed during Bayern’s title-winning run.
Germany are four-time world champions but have struggled in recent tournaments. They exited at the group stage in both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Nagelsmann made it clear that expectations remain unchanged despite those disappointments. “We want to become world champions,” he said after unveiling the squad. The coach believes the current group has the balance needed to challenge for the title. Germany’s experienced core should also help younger players handle tournament pressure.
Neuer enters the tournament with 124 international appearances and four previous World Cup campaigns. Baumann, by comparison, has only 11 caps for Germany. Germany open their World Cup campaign against Curacao in Houston on 14 June. They then face Ivory Coast and Ecuador in the remaining Group E fixtures.
Before travelling to the tournament, Germany will play warm-up matches against Finland in Mainz on 31 May and the United States in Chicago on 6 June.
Goalkeepers: Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Alexander Nubel (Stuttgart)
Defenders: Waldemar Anton (Borussia Dortmund), Nathaniel Brown (Eintracht Frankfurt), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), David Raum (RB Leipzig), Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Jonathan Tah (Bayern Munich), Malick Thiaw (Newcastle United)
Midfielders: Nadiem Amiri (Mainz), Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), Pascal Gross (Brighton and Hove Albion), Jamie Leweling (Stuttgart), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund), Aleksandar Pavlovic (Bayern Munich), Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart), Florian Wirtz (Liverpool)
Forwards: Maximilian Beier (Borussia Dortmund), Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Lennart Karl (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sane (Galatasaray), Deniz Undav (Stuttgart), Nick Woltemade (Newcastle United)
