"You can't be that deluded": Nagelsmann explains Neuer's comeback

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National team manager Julian Nagelsmann spoke at length about Manuel Neuer's return during the press conference announcing the squad – and provided some interesting insights in the process.

"My priority is to pick the nation's three best goalkeepers for the World Cup," Nagelsmann stated. He sees the squad including Oliver Baumann, the number one throughout the qualifiers, Alexander Nübel, and the now 40-year-old Bayern captain.

"That is why we decided to contact him and ask if he would like to play for the national team again," said Nagelsmann. The initiative for the comeback therefore came from the coach, not from Neuer, who had retired of his own accord after Euro 2024. 

The idea had been discussed as early as the start of the year, after first-choice World Cup goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen suffered another injury shortly after returning to action with FC Girona. "I didn't note the exact day, so I can't confirm," Nagelsmann explained, adding, "But we informed Olli back in March that I'd met with Manuel after Marc ter Stegen's injury and briefed him on the situation, because Manu is an extremely deserving player."

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Neuer's contract extension at FC Bayern was "a prerequisite" for Nagelsmann.

In the weeks that followed, Neuer produced some outstanding performances, such as in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid, but he also made some costly mistakes, such as in the second leg. 

According to Nagelsmann, another factor was crucial in the discussions about his return: "What is the situation with his contract? Is he even going to keep playing? He decided relatively late that he would extend his contract with Bayern. For us, that was a prerequisite – we needed clarity on what his future holds." It is surprising that this was a "prerequisite" for Nagelsmann, given that the World Cup follows directly after the season.

Neuer only signed his contract extension with Bayern until 2027 last Friday, after the squad announcement originally scheduled for 12 May, which Nagelsmann had brought forward by nine days to this Thursday. That means the final call on his return was made at very short notice. Nagelsmann later justified the decision—citing not only sporting performance and the new deal but also Neuer's leadership aura.

Germany Announces FIFA World Cup 2026 Squad

Julian Nagelsmann praises Manuel Neuer's "aura"

"I don't possess what Manu has; even Olli has less of it. He has a huge number of titles, a certain aura, and a massive reputation," said Nagelsmann. In making this comparison, the national coach also made sure, in his discussions with Baumann, "that Olli doesn't feel sidelined".

In the coach's view, Neuer's special influence, with a fifth World Cup on the horizon, could still benefit the team even if injury strikes. The Bayern captain has already missed four matches this season due to muscle injuries. In Saturday's 5-1 win over 1. FC Köln, he came off with left calf trouble and is now a doubt for Saturday's DFB Cup final against VfB Stuttgart.

"Manu helps the team when he plays. But there have been periods recently when he hasn't played, and that could happen to us. We can't ignore that; we have to factor it in," said Nagelsmann. "If we play many matches, we'll all be delighted. If one gets called off, as can happen, we'll have Olli, who can step in and perform just as he did in the World Cup qualifiers."

Baumann—labelled a "world-class second-choice solution" by Nagelsmann—admitted the decisive phone call was "a blow", adding, "Over the last four weeks, as this issue gained momentum, Olli has had a tough time." Nevertheless, he remained "extremely committed to never letting the team down."

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Jonas Urbig is travelling to the World Cup as a reserve goalkeeper.

Nübel is the third-choice goalkeeper behind Neuer and Baumann, while Jonas Urbig will travel to the World Cup as a dedicated training goalkeeper. "We want to have a fourth goalkeeper available in training who throws himself into everything he can, who always gives it his all," explained Nagelsmann. "The players want to keep shooting for another 45 minutes after every training session – they can't always do that, but occasionally. So it's good if you can spread the workload across several people."

The 22-year-old Bayern Munich backup is "a lively lad who brings good energy to the group." Should an injury occur in Qatar, Nagelsmann already has a ready-made replacement on hand, eliminating the need to fly someone in from Germany.