Manuel Neuer has brought his Germany international career to a definitive close following the national team’s elimination from the 2026 World Cup. The 40-year-old Bayern Munich goalkeeper confirmed his retirement from international duty shortly after Germany suffered a round of 32 defeat to Paraguay on penalties.
The early exit marks a bitter conclusion to Neuer’s final tournament with Die Mannschaft. Germany’s elimination at the first knockout stage fell well below expectations for the former world champions, who had hoped for a deeper run in the competition.
Despite the disappointing end, Neuer maintains he has no regrets about his decision to return to the national team setup. The veteran shot-stopper, who earned 128 caps for Germany, had initially stepped away from international football before agreeing to one final campaign at the 2026 World Cup.
In a statement posted on Instagram, Neuer expressed his frustration with the result while defending his choice to represent his country once more. “It has always been an honour! Being eliminated early from the World Cup is extremely disappointing. We clearly fell short of expectations and should have gone further in this tournament. This ending hurts a lot,” he wrote.
Neuer explained that his return was motivated by a desire to guide younger teammates while wearing the national shirt with pride. “I made a very conscious decision to play for Germany again. On the one hand, because it has always filled me with deep pride to wear the national team jersey. On the other, because at 40 years old and with the experience of four World Cups, I also wanted to support the younger players in the best possible way, both on and off the pitch, and help German football,” he said.
The Bayern Munich captain leaves the international stage having represented his country 128 times at senior level. His final appearance came in the penalty shootout loss to Paraguay, which brought an abrupt end to Germany’s tournament hopes.
“Despite the bitter ending, I do not regret this decision for a second. My disappointment is beyond words, but there remains great gratitude. Thank you for your support over all the years and throughout this tournament,” Neuer added.
The goalkeeper will now focus entirely on his club commitments with Bayern Munich, having brought the curtain down on an international career spanning four World Cup tournaments.