[Saba Sports News] Recently, Germany national team head coach Julian Nagelsmann made a sudden U-turn by calling up 40-year-old Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer back to the national side and naming him the first-choice goalkeeper for the World Cup. However, this decision has failed to gain widespread approval, at least not among readers of Bild. More than 160,000 people took part in the poll titled “Is Neuer’s comeback the right decision?”, and the result was overwhelmingly clear. So far, 59 percent of fans believe 35-year-old Hoffenheim stopper Oliver Baumann should start as Germany’s first-choice goalkeeper at the World Cup hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Neuer’s return to the World Cup squad has undoubtedly dealt a heavy blow to Baumann. The Hoffenheim goalkeeper featured in all World Cup qualifiers and had firmly believed until recently that he would secure the number-one goalkeeping spot for the tournament.
The editor believes that if Manuel Neuer makes it into the World Cup squad, it will be an extraordinary comeback. The 2014 World Cup winner announced his retirement from international football on August 21, 2024, bringing an end to his senior national team career spanning 124 caps.