Manuel Neuer Retires from International Football

Germany’s legendary goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, a key figure in their 2014 World Cup victory, announced his retirement from international football at the age of 38 on Wednesday.

Neuer, a seasoned player for Bayern Munich, made 124 appearances for Germany, serving as captain in 61 of those matches. His last game for the national team was during the quarter-final defeat to eventual champions Spain at Euro 2024.

In a heartfelt message on social media, Neuer shared that while he had considered playing until the 2026 World Cup, he ultimately decided that now was the right time to step away from international duty.

Neuer was a standout at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where he was recognized as the tournament’s best goalkeeper as Germany claimed their fourth World Cup title.

Renowned for redefining the role of a goalkeeper, Neuer popularized the “sweeper-keeper” style, often venturing far from his goal to thwart opposition attacks and demonstrating exceptional footwork more typical of outfield players.

Neuer made his retirement decision after thoughtful discussions with his family and a detailed conversation with Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann on Wednesday morning.

Looking ahead, Neuer expressed his intention to focus fully on his club career with Bayern Munich, where he has already secured two Champions League titles and 11 Bundesliga championships. Notably, this season’s Champions League final is set to be held at Bayern’s home ground, the Allianz Arena.

Neuer had a challenging period after breaking his leg in a skiing accident in December 2022, returning to the Germany squad just in time for Euro 2024. Despite facing criticism for some mistakes at both club and international levels, Neuer delivered an impressive performance during the tournament.

Reflecting on his career, Neuer said, “It was a great time that shaped me, and I am very proud of it.” He highlighted the 2014 World Cup victory and the special atmosphere of the Euro 2024 tournament as standout moments for which he is extremely grateful. “It was an honor to captain our national team until 2023. I loved wearing the Germany jersey.”

From 2010 to 2016, Neuer and Germany consistently reached the final four in every major tournament. However, the team faced setbacks with early exits in the 2018 and 2022 World Cups and a last-16 elimination at Euro 2020. Germany finally broke their knockout round drought by winning their first knockout match in eight years at Euro 2024.

Neuer’s retirement follows that of fellow 2014 World Cup winners Thomas Müller and Toni Kroos, who also stepped down from international football after Euro 2024. Earlier this week, current Germany captain Ilkay Gündogan, who missed the 2014 World Cup due to injury, announced his retirement from international play.

A product of Schalke’s academy in his hometown of Gelsenkirchen, Neuer made his international debut in 2009 and holds the record for the most caps by a German goalkeeper. Over his career, Germany won 81 of the 124 matches in which Neuer played, and he achieved 51 clean sheets.

With Neuer stepping down, Barcelona’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who has been a long-time understudy, is expected to take over as Germany’s first-choice goalkeeper.