So far, Julian Nagelsmann’s big gamble is not paying off.Manuel Neuer had a difficult game against Ecuador on Thursday. He was at fault for the goal that ultimately condemned Germany to a 2-1 defeat in New York. Prior to that, he had suffered through a jittery half. Minutes before Gonzalo Plata stole in front of him to score at a corner, Neuer had been involved in a miscommunication with Jonathan Tah, his centre-back, that should also have cost a goal.There were other, less calamitous moments, too, but for now they do not really matter. Germany are through to the next round and after the hopeless group stage eliminations in 2018 and 2022, that is an important achievement. Nevertheless, Neuer can expect a turbulent few days. He can handle it. Neuer is one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time and nobody gets to wear that accolade without being able to cope with criticism.But this is a peculiar situation. Neuer retired from international football after the 2024 European Championship. It made sense. He was 38-years-old and had won everything worth winning for club and country. In the years after, Hoffenheim’s Oliver Baumann established himself as a dependable replacement for Germany. Baumann is not Neuer. He is an above-average Bundesliga goalkeeper rather than an era-defining one, but he earned his spot and he did nothing to lose it.As the World Cup gradually got closer, Neuer’s retirement started to look more temporary — to the German media, at least. The possibility of him returning for this tournament became an almost perpetual topic and a constant source of speculation. Still, whenever Neuer or Nagelsmann was asked about the possibility, they both flatly denied it would happen and, more than once, rolled their eyes at the questions.