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A journey from immortality to shadows in three games
Manuel Neuer is facing widespread criticism after a slump in his performance at the 2026 World Cup, with the veteran Germany goalkeeper failing to perform as expected after returning from international duty to play for his country, at a time when analysts believe his performance does not reflect his true potential.
Neuer, who is 40 and two years older than his coach Julian Nagelsmann, has not been able to recapture his previous form since returning to the team.
After suffering a calf injury at the end of the season and missing friendlies against Finland (4-0) and the USA (2-1), he returned straight away in Curacao, which ended in a 7-1 victory for Germany, but he got a surprise goal from Livano Cominencia’s strike.
It happened again against Ivory Coast when he was caught out of position by Franck Kessie’s shot and then against Ecuador when he misjudged Gonzalo Plata’s goal-scoring opportunity.
Nagelsmann was faced with a goalkeeping dilemma after Neuer retired in August 2024. He relied on Marc-Andre ter Stegen in September, then replaced Alexander Nubel and Oliver Baumann in October and November, before Baumann (36), Hoffenheim’s first-choice goalkeeper, again put pressure on the public goalkeeper. which has not yet borne fruit.
Analysis of the technical performance shows a clear decline in Neuer’s ability, as he has blocked just three goals in 3 matches, all from outside the area and in the center of the goal.
While he retained his quickness and ability to take corners, a lack of speed and power limited his effectiveness, and his recent encounters with Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain (in the Champions League) exposed a weakness when it comes to shots near the post.
The deeper issue is what is required of Neuer and what he can currently provide. The goalkeeper, who was known for his role as an attacking player and attacking player, began to make costly mistakes when losing the ball and his passing accuracy declined, as most of his passes were neutral or ineffective for long periods, while only a few of his 19 penetrating passes bore the characteristics of his former prowess with his feet.
Despite his historic status as one of the greatest goalkeepers ever, Neuer seems to have lost some of his luster and is no longer the ideal choice in goal for a title contender.
With no new generation capable of succeeding him, his return from retirement is more symbolic than artistic at a time when the German national team faces an identity crisis that extends from the goalkeeper position to the entire team system.
