Germany captain and veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has officially announced his retirement from international football following his country's elimination from the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The 40-year-old brought an end to his illustrious international career after Germany suffered a heartbreaking penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay in the Round of 32, ending the four-time world champions' World Cup campaign.
Paraguay secured a place in the Round of 16 after defeating Germany 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw after extra time, marking one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.
Neuer had previously confirmed that the 2026 World Cup would be his final tournament with the German national team.
The Bayern Munich goalkeeper returned from international retirement to help Germany in the tournament after initially stepping away from the national team following UEFA Euro 2024.
Reflecting on his decision before the tournament, Neuer said continuing with the national team beyond the World Cup would have placed a significant physical burden on him, confirming that he had no plans to feature at the next UEFA European Championship.
Neuer ends his international career as one of Germany's greatest-ever players, having made a record 23 FIFA World Cup appearances for his country during the 2026 tournament, surpassing legends Lothar Matthäus and Miroslav Klose.
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