Julius OkorieAfter 15 years of manning the post for the Germany national team sometimes dubbed the German Machine, or simply Die Mannschaft (The Team) Manuel Neuer has announced his retirement from international football at the age of 38.
Manuel Neuer delivered the message via a video on his Instagram page in which he expressed gratitude for the opportunity to represent Germany. He noted how proud he feels to represent the country for 15 years.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe Bayern Munich safe hand also expressed his love for wearing the German national team jersey as he thanked everyone he worked with.
He said: “The day had to come at some point. Anyone who knows me knows that this decision wasn’t easy for me.
“It’s been over 15 years since my debut when we played in the United Arab Emirates and I was extremely nervous.”
He added said: “When I look back today, it fills me with pride and also with a lot of gratitude to have been on the pitch with all my teammates and also to have been captain of the German national football team for over seven years.
“Personally, I loved wearing the German national team jersey. Thank you very much for that.
Manuel Neuer made his debut for Germany’s national team on July 2, 2009, in a game against the United Arab Emirates, where his team won 7-2.
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Neuer went on to make 124 appearances for the country, keeping 51 clean sheets and playing a vital role in Germany’s 2014 FIFA World Cup win.
Retirement from international football means Neuer will now focus on doing his good job for Budesliga giants Bayern Munich with running contract that expires in the summer of 2025.
Neuer boasts of a basketful of trophies including 2 UEFA Champions League titles and 11 German Bundesliga crowns, and has made 725 club appearances with 325 clean sheets. Bayern Munich begin the new season against SC Freiburg on September 1.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
