Germany’s goalkeeper dilemma: Schweinsteiger backs Neuer’s return | OneFootball

The debate over the goalkeeper position in the German national team has gained new momentum. DFB legend Bastian Schweinsteiger has clearly spoken out in favor of a comeback for his former teammate Manuel Neuer – despite Neuer’s retirement after the home European Championship in 2024.

While Marc-André ter Stegen is still absent due to injury and Oliver Baumann is currently guarding the German goal, Schweinsteiger still sees no better candidate than the 38-year-old FC Bayern keeper.

“I look at which goalkeepers there are in the world who have a German passport, and for me, Manuel Neuer is simply number one,” he explained on ARD before the World Cup qualifying match against Slovakia (0:2). “He has once again proven at the Club World Cup what world-class quality he radiates. I would bring him back to the national team and let him play.”

After the 2024 European Championship in Germany, Neuer announced his retirement from the national team. Since then, ter Stegen has been considered the first-choice goalkeeper – but his injury history and recent problems at FC Barcelona have reignited the debate about the goalkeeper position.

Return Not Ruled Out

Schweinsteiger considers it quite realistic that Neuer might reconsider his decision. “If you talk to him, if you give him one hundred percent trust and can convince him, it’s certainly possible,” said the 2014 World Cup winner.

However, at an advanced age, motivation is also a factor: “Of course, it’s like: Do you really have to play in Slovakia again? But playing in a World Cup – I think he’d still be up for that.”

For Schweinsteiger, it’s clear: Anyone who has been a world champion dreams automatically of repeating that success. “If you’ve been a world champion once, then you want to have that again, to have the chance again. And why not?”

Baumann as a Temporary Solution

Currently, national coach Julian Nagelsmann is relying on Oliver Baumann. The 34-year-old from TSG Hoffenheim is standing in for the injured ter Stegen and enjoys the trust of those in charge. Schweinsteiger emphasized that this solution is “right” in the current situation: “Oli Baumann has shown good, very good performances at Hoffenheim and has always impressed in the national team as well.”

But in the long term, he apparently only trusts Neuer to bridge the gap between expectation and reality in the German goal.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.