There’s some surprise World Cup news this afternoon as legendary goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has come out of international retirement to join the Germany squad.
The 40-year-old remains the number one goalkeeper for Bayern Munich, but has not featured for Germany since his side’s defeat to Spain two years ago at Euro 2024.
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Still, BBC Sport now report that Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann has recalled Neuer for this summer’s tournament, and that he’ll be the team’s number one in the tournament in North America.
Germany are so often among the favourites for the major international tournaments and a quick glance at the latest World Cup 2026 winner odds will show that they’re up there, even if not quite in that elite bracket with France, Spain, and England at the moment.
Including an experienced winner like Neuer will surely help, though, and there’s a great deal of quality elsewhere in that squad.
Germany’s World Cup 2026 squad – who’s in and who’s out?
Nagelsmann has made some interesting calls with the Germany squad, as Neuer returns and other experienced big names like Leroy Sane, Leon Goretzka, Antonio Rudiger, Joshua Kimmich, and Kai Havertz are also there too.
There are notable players missing as well, though, with no space in the squad for Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Niclas Fullkrug, Karim Adeyemi, or Kevin Schade.
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You can see the full World Cup group stage draw here as Germany are placed in Group E with Curacao, Ivory Coast, and Ecuador.
On paper at least, that looks like a decent draw for the four-time winners of this competition, who will then hope for a favourable draw in the knockout stages as they look to improve after a disappointing last few tournaments.
Germany last won the World Cup in 2014 but went out at the group stage in the following two World Cups, while they made the semi-finals of Euro 2016 but were out at the round of 16 in 2021, and the quarter-finals in 2024.
Nagelsmann’s side are in strong form going into this year’s tournament as they’re currently on a run of seven straight wins, but it’s about time they started showing what they’re capable of at the very highest level, rather than just in international friendlies and qualifying matches.
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