Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann announced his 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada on Thursday.
With most of the surprises reported by local news in the days before the official announcement, the edge was taken off the squad reveal.
Nevertheless, the headline news is the shock return of veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who retired from international football after Euro 2024. The 40-year-old has enjoyed a strong season at Bayern Munich, particularly in the Champions League, but has also battled injuries. He recently signed a new one-year contract despite rumors of impending retirement.
Nagelsmann made it clear that Neuer would be the number one.
"We told Oli [Baumann] back in March that we'd had a meeting with Manu," Nagelsmann said of the decision, admitting that it had been a blow for the Hoffenheim keeper but that he was still ready to help the team.
