Bayern Munich’s Manuel Neuer reacts throughout Quarter Remaining of UEFA Champions League in Munich, Germany on April 15, 2026. — Reuters
Veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was handed a shock recall to Germany’s 26-man World Cup squad on Thursday, popping out of worldwide retirement to play within the match for a fifth time.
The 40-year-old retired from worldwide responsibility in 2024 however coach Julian Nagelsmann confirmed the World Cup winner would be the primary possibility forward of Oliver Baumann at this summer time’s match in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
“Everyone knows the aura and quality Manu has, what he brings to a team,” Nagelsmann stated at a squad announcement in Frankfurt.
“We’re planning with him as our number one.”
Joshua Kimmich will retain the captaincy regardless of the long-time skipper’s return.
Former Manchester Metropolis and Bayern winger Leroy Sane, now at Galatasaray, has retained his spot.
Bayern Munich’s Neuer is the one remaining member of the squad that gained the World Cup in 2014.
Matthias Ginter, one other 2014 World Cup winner who was instrumental in Freiburg’s run to the Europa League last, did not make the reduce, with Newcastle’s Malick Thiaw most well-liked in central defence.
Bayern goalkeeper Jonas Urbig was dropped from the squad after being referred to as up for the March friendlies, however will journey with the facet to assist in coaching in the course of the match.
Munich’s Jamal Musiala returns to the squad after lacking Germany’s March friendlies as he recovered from a damaged ankle.
Nagelsmann named a Premier League-heavy attacking contingent, which incorporates freshly minted English Premier League champion Kai Havertz of Arsenal, Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz and Newcastle’s Nick Woltemade.
Bayern teen Lennart Karl, 18, was additionally referred to as as much as a serious match for the primary time.
Germany’s World Cup struggles
As anticipated, Bayern ahead Serge Gnabry misses out with a thigh damage, as does Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen. Current regulars Niclas Fuellkrug and Robert Andrich weren’t referred to as up.
The German FA (DFB) started sharing video snippets asserting the squad participant by participant on social media early on Thursday, with Kimmich the primary confirmed.
Neuer was the standout participant as Germany gained their fourth World Cup in 2014, however since then the staff’s kind has plummeted.
Germany crashed out on the World Cup group stage in 2018 for the primary time since 1938 and repeated the feat 4 years later in Qatar.
The Germans haven’t fared a lot better in different worldwide tournaments. Since making the semi-finals of Euro 2016, Germany have gained only one knockout recreation within the match— a 2-0 success in opposition to Denmark on residence soil at Euro 2024.
Neuer has impressed this season for Bayern, profitable man-of-the-match honours within the quarter-final victory over Actual Madrid, however comes into the match below an damage cloud attributable to a recurring calf grievance.
He’s unsure for Saturday’s German Cup last in opposition to Stuttgart in Berlin.
The Germans could have one last match on residence soil, in opposition to Finland on Could 31, earlier than going through World Cup co-hosts the USA in Chicago on June 6.
Germany might be based mostly in North Carolina in the course of the match.
They’re in Group C alongside debutants Curacao, the 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 (Actual 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
