Next milestone: Neuer makes World Cup history | OneFootball

Manuel Neuer has set yet another record at the 2026 World Cup. The captain of the German national team is now the goalkeeper with the most World Cup appearances in history.

Manuel Neuer has added another chapter to his extraordinary career. In the German national team’s 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast, the Bayern captain made his 21st World Cup appearance, setting a new record.

The 40-year-old surpassed France’s World Cup champion Hugo Lloris, who had remained at 20 World Cup appearances. Neuer is now the sole record-holder among all goalkeepers in the tournament’s history.

National team coach Julian Nagelsmann praised the importance of his experienced goalkeeper even before the match on MagentaTV: “He gives us a lot of composure and has a wealth of experience—the younger players in particular benefit from that.”

For Neuer, this is already the fifth World Cup of his career. No other goalkeeper from the top nations in world soccer can boast a comparable record.

Neuer continues to expand his record book

The new World Cup record fits seamlessly into an impressive collection of milestones.

Neuer is already the oldest German national team player ever to appear in a World Cup. With 126 international appearances to his credit, he also holds the record as the goalkeeper with the most appearances for the German national team.

Photo: Getty Images

He’s also the go-to choice for major tournaments. With 41 appearances at World Cups and European Championships, no other German national team player has more. His record of 21 World Cup matches and 20 European Championship matches is unmatched to date.

On the all-time World Cup goalkeeper list, Sepp Maier and Brazil’s World Cup champion Claudio Taffarel follow Neuer by a wide margin, each with 18 appearances.

But the journey could continue. If Germany reaches at least the quarterfinals in the current World Cup, Neuer would have the chance to climb even higher in the German World Cup rankings. Currently, only Miroslav Klose, with 24 World Cup appearances, and Lothar Matthäus, with 25 matches, are ahead of the Bayern captain.