End of career or extension? Neuer keeps Bayern waiting | OneFootball

At 39, Manuel Neuer is once again facing a landmark decision: will he stay at FC Bayern or end his extraordinary career?

He has made his return to the pitch: after recovering from injury, the Munich captain will be back between the posts against Wolfsburg on Sunday. But the question of his sporting future is at least as exciting as his comeback. According to AZ, Neuer wants to decide in March whether he will continue with the record champions – and whether he still has hopes of playing in the 2026 World Cup

„For now, we’ll play until March, until the next international break, and then we’ll see,“ the keeper explained recently, stressing: „A lot of things have to be right: my body has to be fine, I have to be at a level that I’m happy with. Of course, the club also plays a role. Then we’ll just look each other in the eye and make a decision at some point.“

Another year would also mean that his backup Jonas Urbig would have to continue to miss out on appearances. The 22-year-old has proven himself as a reliable number two and is seen internally as the ideal solution for the future. The fact that he would once again slip into the role of challenger in the event of a Neuer extension does not seem to be a problem for him. Urbig also gets on extremely well with the veteran himself – a scenario that did not work out for Neuer’s former rival Alexander Nübel

World Cup 2026? door still not closed

photo: IMAGO

Neuer himself remains unperturbed by all of this. Back in December, he said he was „living in the here and now“ and „not thinking about it yet“. That could soon change, as his decision also affects his DFB prospects. Another year at Bayern could keep the door to the World Cup in North America open should Marc-André ter Stegen get injured again or fail to gain any match practice

On the other hand, ending his career this summer would probably mean that national coach Julian Nagelsmann would no longer be able to plan with Neuer. The options are clearly on the table and the decision is getting closer. According to information from AZ, Bayern bosses are leaning towards agreeing to another year, provided that health and performance are right

Max Eberl also commented on a possible extension during the press conference before the Wolfsburg game: „Manu has done a lot for FC Bayern. He’s now turning 40. We’re talking about him playing at the absolute top level, which is really exceptional. We’ll sit down together and see what happens next.“

Last year, Neuer extended his contract by one year until June 2026. At the time, he said: „I really enjoy soccer and want to continue being an FC Bayern player. I’m still hungry and looking forward to another year at this special club. It feels good, we still have many goals together.“ Whether he continues on this journey will be decided in the coming weeks. The countdown is on.