World Cup 2022: Manuel Neuer (Germany) becomes the most capped goalkeeper of the World Cup with 19 matches

“Really? Ah shame! So I would have done better to play one more match at the time at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico“, Lamented with humor Sepp Maier, interviewed by the German daily Münchner Abendzeitung. That year, Germany had been eliminated in the semi-finals and their emblematic goalkeeper had not played the match for 3rd place.

Mannschaft’s N.1 goalkeeper for more than a decade, Manuel Neuer has known everything with the German selection, starting with the rise to the top in 2010 in South Africa, an elimination in the semi-finals against Spain, future champion, and a third place in the end. Then came the time of the consecration in Brazil, with in particular a memorable semi-final against the host country won 7-1, and finally the brutal fall in 2018 in Russia with a surprise elimination in the first round, after setbacks against the Mexico (1-0) and South Korea (2-0).

He revolutionized the position of goalkeeper

Double winner of the Champions League with Bayern in 2013 and 2020, he revolutionized the position of goalkeeper, with his spectacular outings away from his cage and his penalty area, becoming a kind of libero bis. At 36, Manuel Neuer did not rule out before leaving for Qatar to participate in the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, but his injuries in recent years (left foot in 2017 and 2018, left shoulder before the Qatari World Cup) could complicate his dream.

In Qatar, he once again demonstrated his genius reflexes on the goal line, in particular a save on a shot from Dani Olmo against Spain which he pushed back on the crossbar and which Niclas Füllkrug, the author of the German equalizer, qualified as the second goal for Germany. He hopes to reach twenty games played in a World Cup in the event of German qualification at the end of the group stage, after the match against Costa Rica on Sunday.