Manuel Neuer’s Return to the DFB Team: A Look at the Ukraine Match and Relationship with Nagelsmann

Status: 10.06.2024, 04:50 a.m.

By: Florian Schimak

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The DFB team could only manage a draw against Ukraine in the European Championship test. An action between Manuel Neuer and Julian Nagelsmann gives us a lot to say.

Nuremberg – Exactly 550 days lay between Manuel Neuer’s 117th and 118th international matches.

The FC Bayern goalkeeper had to wait a year and a half before he was allowed to guard the national team’s goal again. Neuer played his last game in the DFB jersey on December 1st in the 4-2 win over Costa Rica at the 2022 World Cup. What happened after that is well known.

Neuer broke his tibia and fibula while processing his World Cup frustration while ski touring in December 2022. The 38-year-old fought his way back onto the pitch, but had to postpone his DFB comeback again in March.

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Manuel Neuer celebrated his comeback in the DFB team: 550 days break are over

In the penultimate DFB test before the 2024 European Championship against Ukraine in Nuremberg, the big return! “I’m happy to be back with the national team and to have been back on the pitch,” Neuer said in the mixed zone of the Max-Morlock Stadium after the match, describing his feelings: “It felt very good today.”

The team of national coach Julian Nagelsmann put in an impressive performance against the European Championship participant, but failed to capitalize on the many scoring opportunities. The match ended in a goalless 0:0. Neuer: “Unfortunately, we were not rewarded, despite all the effort we put in.”

An important finding for Neuer and the national coach: the score was at least zero after 90 minutes in the penultimate European Championship test. The keeper almost made sure that the DFB team conceded a goal shortly before the end. Even ARD expert Bastian Schweinsteiger had no understanding for the move.

Moment of nervousness in the Ukraine game: Neuer faux pas goes unpunished

“I have Yarmolenko (the Ukraine attacker, editor’s note) not seen at all on the left side,” Neuer described the scene in the 90th minute when he failed to clear a ball far in front of his own goal: “Accordingly, it was a clear situation for me that I would now chip the ball to the left.”

It was lucky that the former BVB star did not punish Neuer’s faux pas. Who knows what discussions would have followed if the DFB team had lost the match because of a mistake by Neuer.

Because: This personnel issue had already caused discussions at the DFB in advance! Neuer showed unusual weaknesses at the end of the season, made a crucial mistake in the CL semi-final against Real Madrid and also looked very bad on matchday 34 in Hoffenheim, conceding three goals.

National coach Nagelsmann relies fully on Neuer – and takes a certain risk

However, Nagelsmann demonstratively backed Neuer on Monday. Marc-André ter Stegen, who had an outstanding season at FC Barcelona and recently said in a ZDF documentary that Nagelsmann’s early decision in favor of Neuer was “a slap in the face,” is once again left with only the role of spectator at a major tournament.

“This is a known problem in the goalkeeper position,” explained Neuer: “There has never been a coach who has let two goalkeepers play at the same time. Especially in the goalkeeper position, it is usually the case that decisions are made in good time so that the goalkeeper who then plays also has a certain level of security and backing. I have been given the trust of the coaching team. Unfortunately, Marc knows the situation because he is a great goalkeeper who has shown good performances. But that is also part of the business.”

An action during the Ukraine match showed how much the national coach relies on Neuer. When the game was briefly interrupted, Nagelsmann called his keeper to the sidelines to give him new tactical instructions. Neuer immediately passed these on to his teammates on the pitch.

For Julian Nagelsmann, Manuel Neuer continues to be his extended arm on the pitch. © tz

Incident between Neuer and Nagelsmann makes one thing clear

Piquant: Nagelsmann did not summon captain Ilkay Gündogan, but Neuer. But the goalkeeper officially no longer holds any office in the DFB team. Gündogan’s deputies are Joshua Kimmich and Thomas Müller, as the national coach made clear again on Monday.

But that shows that Neuer is still Nagelsmann’s extended arm! Even during his time at FC Bayern, he often called the keeper over during the game to give him tactical instructions. But back then, Neuer was his captain.

Manuel Neuer (in black) delivers Nagelsmann’s announcements to the team. © tz

But Manuel Neuer apparently doesn’t need the armband to be a leading player in the national team. Hopefully the 38-year-old will justify the national coach’s trust with strong performances at the European Championships. Otherwise, the goalkeeper discussion at the DFB could flare up. (smk)

Florian Schimak reports from the Max-Morlock-Stadion in Nuremberg

2024-06-10 06:39:14
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