Veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has been pulled back into Germany’s plans with a shock recall to the nation’s 26-man World Cup squad, ending his international retirement to give the tournament a fifth appearance.
The 40-year-old stepped away from duty in 2024, but coach Julian Nagelsmann has confirmed that Neuer will be the first-choice option at this summer’s finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico, ahead of Oliver Baumann.
Nagelsmann made the decision public during a squad announcement in Frankfurt, saying: “Everyone knows the aura and quality Manu has, what he brings to a team. We’re planning with him as our number one.”
Joshua Kimmich will keep the captain’s armband despite Neuer’s return. Leroy Sane, who spent time with Manchester City and Bayern before now playing for Galatasaray, has also retained his place in the group.
Neuer is the only remaining member of Germany’s squad that won the World Cup in 2014.
Matthias Ginter—another member of the 2014 title-winning team—misses out after failing to make the cut, despite having played a key role in Freiburg’s run to the Europa League final. Newcastle defender Malick Thiaw has been preferred in central defence.
Bayern goalkeeper Jonas Urbig, who had been called up for the March friendlies, was left out of the final squad but is still set to travel with the team to support training during the tournament.
Jamal Musiala also returns to the squad after missing Germany’s March friendlies while recovering from a broken ankle.
Germany’s squad picks and injury absences
Nagelsmann named an attack-led group with a strong Premier League flavour. The list includes Arsenal’s Kai Havertz, Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz and Newcastle’s Nick Woltemade, with Havertz arriving as the latest English top-flight champion.
Bayern’s 18-year-old Lennart Karl has been called up to a major tournament for the first time.
As expected, Bayern forward Serge Gnabry is not included after suffering a thigh injury. Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen is also absent. Meanwhile, regular picks Niclas Füllkrug and Robert Andrich have not been selected.
- The German football association (DFB) started unveiling the squad player-by-player on social media early on Thursday.
- Kimmich was the first figure confirmed during those announcements.
- Neuer’s recall came as the headline late change, with Nagelsmann positioning him as the number one goalkeeper.
Form, fitness and Germany’s tournament schedule
Neuer was the key figure as Germany captured their fourth World Cup title in 2014, but the team’s subsequent performances have fallen away sharply.
Germany crashed out in the group stage at the 2018 World Cup for the first time since 1938, then repeated the same early elimination four years later in Qatar.
International struggles have continued beyond the World Cup. Since reaching the semi-finals of Euro 2016, Germany have won only one knockout match at the tournament level—a 2-0 victory over Denmark at Euro 2024 on home soil.
This season, Neuer has impressed for Bayern and won man-of-the-match recognition in the quarter-final victory over Real Madrid. However, he is heading into the tournament with an injury concern linked to a recurring calf problem.
His participation is in doubt for the German Cup final against Stuttgart in Berlin scheduled for tomorrow.
Germany will then play one final home match before the World Cup, facing Finland on May 31, before starting their tournament campaign against co-hosts the United States in Chicago on June 6.
During the finals, Germany will be based in North Carolina.
Germany have been placed in Group C alongside debutants Curaçao, Côte d’Ivoire and Ecuador.
Germany’s 26-man World Cup squad
Goalkeepers
- Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim)
- Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich)
- Alexander Nübel (Stuttgart)
Defenders
- Waldemar Anton (Borussia Dortmund)
- Nathaniel Brown (Eintracht Frankfurt)
- Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)
- David Raum (RB Leipzig)
- Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid)
- Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund)
- Jonathan Tah (Bayern Munich)
- Malick Thiaw (Newcastle)
Midfielders
- Nadiem Amiri (Mainz)
- Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich)
- Pascal Groß (Brighton & Hove Albion/ENG)
- Jamie Leweling (Stuttgart)
- Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)
- Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund)
- Aleksandar Pavlović (Bayern Munich)
- Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart)
- Florian Wirtz (Liverpool)
Forwards
- Maximilian Beier (Borussia Dortmund)
- Kai Havertz (Arsenal/ENG)
- Lennart Karl (Bayern Munich)
- Leroy Sané (Galatasaray)
- Deniz Undav (Stuttgart)
- Nick Woltemade (Newcastle)
