Veteran Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer's international football career came to an end on Monday following his team's shock defeat to Paraguay in the round of 32 stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Germany lost 4-3 to Paraguay via penalties in Boston on Monday, after the scores were 1-1 ay full time. The 40-year-old had confirmed that he would retire from international football after the FIFA World Cup.
Germany came into this match after topping Group E with six points from two matches. The four-time champions had thumped FIFA World Cup debutants Curacao 7-1 in their opening group stage game before beating Ivory Coast 2-1.
However, Germany then went down to Ecuador 2-1 in their last group stage match, but still qualified for the round of 32 stage as group winners.
‘We simply have to win a game like this,' says Manuel Neuer
After their loss to Paraguay on Monday, the Bayern Munich goalkeeper said that Germany simply had to win a game like this.
“The coach said a few words to us. We are all very sad. We didn’t have the punch or the necessary luck to win today. But we also simply created too few chances – we didn’t have the tools or the cutting edge,” Manuel Neuer said in a post-match interview.
In the penalty shootout, it might have been easier if one or two players had already built more confidence during the tournament or earlier in the match by converting clear chances. Paraguay missed twice, and that should actually be enough to win the game here.
“But I’m more concerned about the match itself – we simply have to win a game like this against an opponent like that," he explained.
During the match, Manuel Neuer also equalled an unwanted record of having conceded at least one goal in each of his last 10 FIFA World Cup matches. Before Neuer, only Antonio Carbajal of Mexico had conceded a goal in 10 consecutive FIFA World Cup matches.
In fact, the last time Neuer kept a clean sheet in a FIFA World Cup match was at the 2014 FIFA World Cup final, wherein Germany beat Argentina 1-0 to clinch their fourth title. That is also the last time Germany won the FIFA World Cup.
Neuer's forgettable record also came on a day when he broke Lothar Mathhaus's record for most FIFA World Cup starts by a German. The game against Paraguay was Neuer's 23rd FIFA World Cup start, surpassing 22 starts that was shared bby Lothar Mathhaus and Miroslav Klose.
Paraguay will next either France or Sweden in the round of 16 in Philadelphia on Saturday.