Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer announced his retirement from internationals on Wednesday after playing 124 times for his country since 2009.
The 38-year-old Bayern Munich player won the Golden Glove when Germany won the FIFA World Cup in 2014.
“Today marks the end of my career in the German national football team,” Neuer wrote on Instagram.
Photo: AFP
“Anyone who knows me knows that I didn’t take this decision lightly. I feel very well physically and, of course, the 2026 World Cup ... would also have appealed to me,” he said. “And yet I came to the decision that now is exactly the right time to end my chapter in the national team.”
Germany’s national soccer federation said Neuer was one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time.
“All words seem too small. But they come from the heart: Thank you, Manu,” it said in a statement.
“For your unique, outstanding successes, of course. But especially for your camaraderie, your dedication, your inspiration for fellow players and millions of fans and footballers around the world,” it said. “You have changed the game of goalkeeping, you have shaped it. Just like this team. Your team. As a back-up. As captain. As a role model. As a world champion. As a friend. We will miss you!”
Neuer’s retirement came two days after Germany midfielder Ilkay Gundogan also retired from international soccer.
Neuer’s club Bayern Munich, with whom he has won 11 Bundesliga, two UEFA Champions League and two FIFA Club World Cup titles, are to begin their league campaign at Wolfsburg on Sunday.
OFFENSE SHINES: First baseman Pan Chie-kai hit a solo homer in the fifth inning as all 10 batters Taiwan used contributed at least one hit toward their team total of 14 One day after their first shutout loss at the WBSC Premier12, Taiwan yesterday bounced back with a commanding 8-2 victory over the US, keeping their hopes for a spot in tomorrow’s final alive. The win in the Super Round marked Taiwan’s first triumph over the US at a top-tier international baseball tournament since 2003. Their previous win over the US was at the 2003 Baseball World Cup, with only one win in the previous 10 matchups since 1999. Yesterday’s game was tightly contested through the first six innings, with the margin never exceeding two runs. However, the tide turned in the top of
“Please love us. Please cheer us on. We have been working hard. Do not give up on us.” Taiwan captain Chen Chieh-hsien’s heartfelt plea echoed across the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s (WBSC) Premier12 tournament after a historic victory. Rather than boasting, Chen was making an earnest appeal after leading Taiwan to a 4-0 victory over Japan to claim their first major international baseball title at the senior level. Chen’s decisive three-run homer in the fifth inning and his Premier12 leading .632 batting average secured him the Premier12’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) title. He was also named one of the tournament’s outstanding defensive players
WELL-AGED: Although the youngest team in the tournament, Taiwan featured several veteran stars, including Sunday’s home-run hero Chen Chieh-hsien “I will never forget today,” veteran Taiwanese pitcher Chen Kuan-yu said after Taiwan on Sunday night blanked Japan to secure their first ever gold in the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s (WBSC) Premier12 championship. Chen, who at 34 is the oldest member on the team, said Taiwan “made every difficult step to come to today’s victory. I will never forget today.” Taiwan made history when they won their first gold medal of the Premier12 tournament, beating Japan in a 4-0 shutout victory in the final at the Tokyo Dome. It was a jaw-dropping victory for many baseball commentators who went into the game with
Nikola Jokic on Saturday scored 34 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to spark the Denver Nuggets over the Los Angeles Lakers 127-102, continuing their dominance of the NBA rivalry, while Scotty Pippen Jr scored a career-best 30 points to lead the Memphis Grizzlies past the Chicago Bulls, 142-131. The Nuggets won for the 13th time in the past 14 contests against the Lakers, including ousting the Lakers in the playoffs the past two seasons. Serbian star Jokic failed to achieve his sixth consecutive triple-double, managing only eight assists, but his effort was plenty as Michael Porter Jr added 24 points and 11
RSS