Mistake against Ecuador? Neuer doesn’t see any fault on his part | OneFootball

Germany lost the meaningless World Cup group stage match against Ecuador 1–2—and Manuel Neuer was on the wrong foot for the second goal. But the Bayern goalkeeper firmly refutes the debate over his blunder and explains in detail why he doesn’t blame himself for the mistake.

In East Rutherford, the match ended without any sporting consequences for the German team; the group stage match no longer mattered. Nevertheless, one play sparked discussion after the final whistle: Following a corner kick, Rodríguez flicked the ball on with a header; Neuer went for the ball, but Plata stuck his foot in. The goalkeeper couldn’t get a hold of the ball—and it ended up in the net.

So, was it a goalkeeper’s mistake? The 40-year-old sees it quite differently. “No!” is his terse answer to the question. The 2014 World Cup champion then goes on to elaborate.

Neuer explains the play in detail

“Because that’s a completely normal header extension, and I then try to catch the ball. So it’s a completely normal situation. Any goalkeeper who’s ever played knows that I have to position myself toward the ball like that and try to catch it that way,” says Neuer.

To explain, the Bayern captain draws a comparison to field players: “It’s like when a player goes for the ball and one of them just gets to it with the tip of his foot before the other. And of course, I’m watching the pass, watching what’s happening up front. He can deflect it anywhere, so I naturally focus on that deflection, watch the ball, and try to simply catch it. Of course, I can’t see it from behind at all. I have to focus on what’s happening in front of me—where the ball is and what’s happening with it.”

Photo: IMAFO

For Neuer, there was only one reasonable solution in that situation—and that was to catch it. “And that’s why I just wanted to catch it. That would have been the safest option, too. If I’d started fumbling the ball around in the five-meter box at nipple height, it might have been an own goal. So, absolutely not.”

Neuer receives support from his Bayern teammate Jonathan Tah, who assesses the scene similarly. “I don’t think you can blame anyone,” emphasizes the 30-year-old. Despite the loss, the match has no consequences for the German team—in sporting terms, there was nothing left at stake for the DFB squad.