Manuel Neuer has changed upon closer inspection. The FC Bayern goalkeeper seems to want to show the football world with his actions: Look what I can still do. Munich’s former club boss Oliver Kahn warns the 38-year-old that he should now make it clear when it’s over.
Thomas Müller initiated the cheering circle after the final whistle at the Millerntor Stadium. After the 1-0 win at FC St. Pauli, the fifth success in a row was celebrated, a strong finish before the international break – and for Manuel Neuer, who hasn’t conceded a goal since the 1-4 defeat at FC Barcelona on October 23rd conceded. The 38-year-old goalkeeper was happy and laughed up and down with his colleagues. These emotions are now more often visible in him.
Anyone who looks closely at Neuer will notice a change in the last few months. For a long time, the goalkeeper was a kind of ice block when it came to showing emotions. Even after incredible saves, there was hardly any emotion. He now celebrates when he has ruined an opponent’s great chance. As if Neuer wanted to show the football world: Look what I can still do!
“Manuel Neuer is no longer Manuel Neuer,” said expert Lothar Matthäus after the 4-1 defeat at Barça. What he means by that: Neuer no longer holds up the unstoppable, and is no longer as confident with his feet as he used to be. In many one-on-one situations that arise for Neuer due to coach Vincent Kompany’s risky style of play, he lacked the aura of invincibility this season.
“Not easy, especially psychologically,” says Kahn
No coincidence for Oliver Kahn. The goalkeeping legend said about Neuer in an interview with WELT: “I know this from my own career: He was used to having the reputation as number one in the national team for years and defending it. The moment when that falls away is not easy, especially psychologically.” He himself quit the national team after the 2006 World Cup. Neuer left the DFB after the home European Championships in the summer.
“You fall into a hole and ask yourself: What is the goal now, what can I still achieve?” explained Kahn. The 55-year-old is therefore not surprised “that Manuel is not showing the kind of performance we are used to from him in every game this season. He is still able to perform at his world class level. This is always a big challenge. He must define a clear goal for himself.”
The ex-boss of FC Bayern warns Neuer that he now has to be clear about the end of his career – and should also communicate that. “When I retired from the national team in 2006, I clearly defined – for FC Bayern, but also for myself: two more years and then it’s over. That helped me and the club,” said Kahn. Everyone knew exactly what was going on. And that was also an incentive for me. I was able to draw motivation from this clearly defined ending. Until then, I wanted to win a lot and get out on a high and dignified level. Nobody wants to be whistled out of the stadium at the end of their career.”
Neuer was officially farewelled by the DFB before the international match against Holland in Munich on October 14th. His contract with Bayern expires after the season and he wants to extend it again. The goalkeeper could sign a new one-year contract as early as winter, and Neuer will be 40 years old at the end of the 2025/26 season.
Nübel is being set up as a successor
But Kahn has another scenario in mind for the end of Neuer’s career. He said: “If FC Bayern manage to win the Champions League in Munich in May 2025, that would be perfect timing!”
A successor is currently being set up at VfB Stuttgart – and now also in the national team: Alexander Nübel. The 28-year-old has a contract in Munich until 2029 and is on loan at VfB until 2026. But with a clause. Bayern could bring the goalkeeper back early. According to information from “Sport Bild”, the clause can be drawn until April 30, 2025. Then Nübel would already be a Bayern player from July 1, 2025. However, this is currently not planned: Because Neuer should continue to be in goal. The Munich makers could only react in the event of an injury.
Nübel can hope to play his second international match at the DFB course these days. Neuer has the proud number of 124 in his career. Despite his retirement from the DFB team, there are always rumors about a return if Marc-André ter Stegen does not get fit again after his patellar tendon tear.
Kahn doesn’t think so. “The talk about a DFB comeback at the 2026 World Cup is leading to nothing. Development continues, new things have to develop at the DFB, new goalkeepers have to grow. A comeback by Manuel Neuer in the national team makes little sense. “I can’t imagine that he really wants that,” he said.
For Neuer, the first thing is to rebuild the aura of invincibility in the Bayern goal. That was successful in the end. However, Bayern played against teams like Bochum, Mainz and St. Pauli at the weekend, and Neuer was hardly tested. His own claim is that he wants to be the decisive factor again in the big games. Perhaps – as Kahn suggests – clarity about the future is needed so that the Bayern captain can squeeze out the last few percent from himself.
The article was written for the Sports Competence Center (WELT, SPORT PICTURE, BILD) written and first published in SPORT BILD.
