Manuel Neuer has come out of international retirement to be named in Germany's 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup, with head coach Julian Nagelsmann confirming the 40-year-old will be his first-choice goalkeeper for the tournament.
The decision represents a notable change of course for Nagelsmann, who had for some time publicly identified Hoffenheim's Oliver Baumann as his preferred number one. That Neuer has now been recalled — and installed as starter — speaks to the regard in which the Bayern Munich goalkeeper is still held, both within the Germany set-up and across the game more broadly.
Nagelsmann addressed the recall directly, making clear that selecting the three best available keepers was the primary consideration and that contact was made with Neuer to establish whether he was willing to return. The head coach confirmed he plans to play Neuer as the number one, ending any ambiguity about the squad hierarchy in the position. Nagelsmann also stated the squad's collective ambition plainly: Germany intend to win the tournament.
Neuer retired from international football after a long and distinguished career in the Germany shirt, one that included a World Cup winner's medal from 2014. His return at 40 is uncommon in international football, where the demands of a major tournament make such recalls a considered rather than sentimental act. That Nagelsmann has moved away from a younger, domestically active option in Baumann suggests Neuer's experience and standing were judged to outweigh other factors.
How Neuer's involvement unfolds across a full World Cup campaign will be watched closely. He carries both the weight of Germany's expectations and the curiosity of a sport that does not often see goalkeepers return to the international stage at this stage of their careers. For now, the squad is named and the hierarchy is settled.