Bayern Munich have announced that captain and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is dealing with muscular problems in his left calf and will ease training after being substituted injured in the 60th minute of their Bundesliga home win over Köln on Saturday.
The update comes late in the 2025-26 season as Neuer, now 40, faces fitness concerns ahead of the DFB-Pokal final on Saturday, May 23, 2026, and a potential call-up to Germany’s 2026 World Cup squad.
The announcement also comes amid reports that the veteran German goalkeeper was expected to receive a call-up from Julian Nagelsmann for the 2026 World Cup and was ready to accept it.
Born in 1986, Neuer has enjoyed a long and illustrious career as one of the greatest goalkeepers the game has ever seen.
He has 124 caps for Germany, making him the most-capped goalkeeper in the country’s history.
Neuer was a key figure in the 2014 FIFA World Cup-winning side (where he claimed the Golden Glove) and also helped Germany lift the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.
He retired from international football in August 2024 after Euro 2024, where he started every match as Germany reached the quarter-finals.
More recently, he was included in the provisional 55-man squad for the 2026 World Cup amid ongoing talks with Nagelsmann about a possible comeback, with a decision expected around May 21. However, some reports had indicated he had ruled out a return.
