In the locker room corridor, Manuel Neuer reviewed the instructions one last time with Jonathan Tah. During the national anthem, he stared at the horizon with concentration. Then, he finally found his starting place. By making his return to the German goals in the opening match of the World Cup against Curacao, the Bayern captain broke two selection records and equaled or improved other benchmarks. At 40 years and 79 days, the 2014 world champion is now the oldest German international player, as well as the oldest to have ever played at a World Cup.
Neuer dethroned two legends: Lothar Matthäus as the oldest German international player (39 years, 91 days in the 0-3 in the Euro 2000 group stage against Portugal) and Fritz Walter as the oldest German player in the World Cup (37 years, 236 days in the 1-3 in the 1958 semi-final against Portugal). Sweden).
To the Match-Center: Germany vs. Curacao
“I only have positive thoughts. I rejoice in everything that happens now“, declared Neuer before kick-off on MagentaTV, while assuring: “We are all full of energy.” Concerning his calf, he specified: “everything is fine, I passed the stress tests.” He wore a FIFA “Legacy Patch” on his jersey – a badge reserved for players who participate in at least their fifth World Cup.
Germany’s first match in live-ticker
Other records in sight?
Neuer was already the most capped goalkeeper in DFB history, and he now takes his record to 125 caps. No other German player has played more matches at World Cups and Europeans (40, or 20 in each competition). But that’s not all: with a fifth participation in the World Cup, he equals Matthäus’ German record. If he also plays the second group match against Ivory Coast on June 20, he will also become the goalkeeper having played the most matches in the World Cup (21), ahead of Frenchman Hugo Lloris (20 matches).
To become the most capped German player at the World Cup, Neuer would have to reach the quarter-finals with the DFB-Elf. Uwe Seeler (21), Miroslav Klose (24) and Matthäus (25) are still ahead of him. However, a record seems out of reach for Neuer: the oldest world champion remains Dino Zoff. The Italian was 40 years and 133 days old during the 1982 final victory against DFB-Elf – Neuer will be 19 days younger on July 19.
