DFB goalkeeper
Break instead of comeback: Neuer is injured for the national team’s European Championship tests
Bad luck for Manuel Neuer: The goalkeeper is out for international football matches
© Arne Dedert / DPA
Shortly before his return to the DFB goal, Manuel Neuer suffered a setback. The FC Bayern goalkeeper is injured during training with the national team. The national coach has to reschedule.
Injury instead of an international comeback: Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer tore a muscle fiber in his left thigh during training with the national soccer team and will be out of the European Championship test matches on Saturday against France and three days later against the Netherlands. He shared that DFB on Wednesday afternoon.
The 37-year-old had already left the team hotel in Gravenbruch near Frankfurt. According to DPA information, national coach Julian Nagelsmann wanted to name the FC Bayern Munich goalkeeper shortly as his number one for the home European Championships in the summer. Now Marc-André ter Stegen should be in goal for the national team in the European Championship test matches against France and the Netherlands. National coach Julian Nagelsmann announced this early on Wednesday evening at a fan press conference organized by the German Football Association.
The 31-year-old from FC Barcelona was his first substitute in Neuer’s absence after he broke his leg in the winter of 2022 and had hopes of becoming the starting goalkeeper at the European Championships in the summer. In addition to ter Stegen, the current squad also includes Bernd Leno from FC Fulham and Oliver Baumann from TSG Hoffenheim.
It is unclear how long Manuel Neuer will be out
The 37-year-old Neuer and ter Stegen, who is six years his junior, have been competitors in the DFB selection for twelve years. Both have been among the world’s best goalkeepers for years. After DFB regular goalkeeper Neuer’s serious skiing accident following the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the time seemed to have come for ter Stegen. Now Neuer’s comeback in the DFB jersey was actually imminent – and again as number one with an eye on the home European Championship.
After his return to the Bayern goal almost six months ago, the ambitious newcomer also set his sights on taking part in the home European Championships. “I’m concentrating on myself, on my performance and will give my all again for the national team,” he said last weekend about his ambitions for a comeback as number one and added: “The coach will then decide.”
It is uncertain how long Neuer will have to take a break. However, he is unlikely to be available to Bayern beyond the international break. The first game is on March 30th in the Bundesliga against Borussia Dortmund. The quarter-final first leg of the Champions League will take place at Arsenal FC in London on April 9th.