Neuer to start for Germany in fifth World Cup

Manuel Neuer will start in goal for Germany against Curacao
in his fifth World Cup, coach Julian Nagelsmann said on Saturday (13 June).
"All the players are fit and
Manu will start," Nagelsmann said at his pre-match press conference.
Sunday's game in Houston against
the World Cup debutants will be the 40-year-old goalkeeper's first appearance
for Germany for nearly two years.
Neuer won the last of his 124 international caps in a Euro 2024 quarter-final
defeat by Spain.
Nagelsmann brought him out of
international retirement after he helped Bayern win the Bundesliga title and
reach the Champions League semi-finals this season.
The 2014 World Cup-winner has had
to nurse a calf injury in the buildup to the 2026 tournament and played no part
in the 4-0 friendly win against Finland and the 2-0 victory against the USA.
Nagelsmann compared the meeting of
the four-time World Cup winners with the team from the tiny Caribbean island to
a domestic club match.
"This is a German Cup
situation. David versus Goliath," he said.
The Curacao players "are all
well-trained and can go into the tournament without pressure. That always makes
an opponent dangerous," Nagelsmann said.
"You never win a match just
because you're favourites. We will win a match only if we produce a perfect performance.
"We're going to try to show
our best level."
















