Veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer received a shock recall to Germany’s 26-man World Cup squad on Thursday, ending his international retirement to feature in the tournament for a fifth time.
The 40-year-old stepped away from international football in 2024, but coach Julian Nagelsmann revealed that the World Cup-winning keeper will serve as first choice ahead of Oliver Baumann at this summer’s competition in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
“Everyone knows the aura and quality Manu has, what he brings to a team,” Nagelsmann said during the squad announcement in Frankfurt.
“We’re planning with him as our number one.”
Joshua Kimmich will continue as captain despite the return of the long-serving skipper.
Former Manchester City and Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sane, now playing for Galatasaray, also kept his place in the squad.
Neuer, of Bayern Munich, is the only surviving member of Germany’s 2014 World Cup-winning squad.
Matthias Ginter, another member of the 2014-winning team who played a key role in Freiburg’s journey to the Europa League final, was omitted, with Newcastle defender Malick Thiaw chosen instead in central defence.
Bayern goalkeeper Jonas Urbig, who earned a call-up for the March friendlies, was left out of the final squad but will still accompany the team to assist with training during the competition.
Jamal Musiala returns after missing Germany’s March friendlies while recovering from a broken ankle.
Nagelsmann selected an attack heavily influenced by Premier League talent, including newly crowned English Premier League winner Kai Havertz of Arsenal, Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz, and Newcastle striker Nick Woltemade.
Eighteen-year-old Bayern prospect Lennart Karl also earned his first call-up to a major tournament.
– Germany’s World Cup struggles –
As anticipated, Bayern forward Serge Gnabry was excluded because of a thigh injury, while Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen also missed out. Regular squad members Niclas Fuellkrug and Robert Andrich were not selected either.
The German FA (DFB) started unveiling the squad gradually on social media Thursday morning, with Kimmich confirmed first.
Neuer starred during Germany’s fourth World Cup triumph in 2014, but the national team has struggled significantly since then.
Germany were eliminated in the group stage of the 2018 World Cup — their earliest exit since 1938 — and suffered the same fate again four years later in Qatar.
The team has also underperformed in other major tournaments. Since reaching the semi-finals of Euro 2016, Germany have managed just one knockout-stage win — a 2-0 victory over Denmark at Euro 2024 on home soil.
Neuer has delivered strong performances for Bayern this season, including a man-of-the-match display in the quarter-final win over Real Madrid, though he heads into the tournament carrying concerns over a recurring calf injury.
He remains doubtful for Saturday’s German Cup final against Stuttgart in Berlin.
Germany will play one final home match against Finland on May 31 before taking on World Cup co-hosts the United States in Chicago on June 6.
The team will base themselves in North Carolina throughout the tournament.
Germany are drawn in Group C alongside debutants Curacao, Ivory Coast, and Ecuador.
Germany squad:
Goalkeepers: Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Alexander Nuebel (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/ENG)
Midfielders: Nadiem Amiri (Mainz), Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), Pascal Gross (Brighton and Hove Albion/ENG), Jamie Leweling (Stuttgart), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund), Aleksandar Pavlovic (Bayern Munich), Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart), Florian Wirtz (Liverpool/ENG)
Forwards: Maximilian Beier (Borussia Dortmund), Kai Havertz (Arsenal/ENG), Lennart Karl (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sane (Galatasaray/TUR), Deniz Undav (Stuttgart), Nick Woltemade (Newcastle/ENG)
