Germany's 'legend' Neuer retires from international football

Manuel Neuer, 40, has hung up his Germany jersey for the last time.

FIFA announced Tuesday that Neuer officially retired from the German national team following the country's round-of-32 exit at the 2026 North America World Cup.

After his final match in a Germany shirt, Neuer offered a farewell. "Every moment I spent with the national team was a great honor for me," he said.

The send-off was a bitter one. Germany drew 1-1 with Paraguay after 120 minutes before losing 4-3 on penalty kicks. Neuer made one save in the shootout, but it was not enough to keep his side alive.

The match was his 128th and final international appearance.

Neuer had originally announced his retirement from international duty after Euro 2024, but returned to the squad for this World Cup at the request of head coach Julian Nagelsmann. Before the tournament began, he had already signaled it would be his last with the national team.

He made his Germany debut in 2009 and guarded the national team's goal for 17 years — a record that ranks fifth on the all-time appearances list in German football history.

His finest hour came at the 2014 Brazil World Cup, where he helped Germany claim their fourth world title and won the Golden Glove as the tournament's best goalkeeper. His performance against Algeria in the round of 16 — repeatedly charging out of his penalty area to cut off counterattacks — remains one of the most celebrated moments in World Cup history.

Neuer will go down as one of the greatest goalkeepers in German football history. With his retirement, Germany closes the curtain on the Neuer era and faces the task of finding a new No. 1 between the posts.