Manuel Neuer signals retirement after 2026/27 Bundesliga campaign

Manuel Neuer signals retirement after 2026/27 Bundesliga campaign Speaking from Bayern Munich’s training camp at the Tegernsee, legendary German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has given a strong signal that the coming 2026/27 Bundesliga season will be his last. As is the case with most footballers, Neuer did leave a door open for himself. The 40-year-old spoke of taking his announcement with the proverbial “grain of salt”. Neuer repeatedly brushed off talk of returning to the national team for the World Cup this summer, only to accept Julian Nagelsmann’s call to lace up his boots once again. Neuer has already retired from the German national team twice. Today marked the first time he gave any real indication that he might conclude his club career.  The 40-year-old returned to Bayern Munich’s preseason training following Germany’s World Cup elimination and is preparing for his 21st Bundesliga campaign. Neuer admitted that the disappointment of the national team’s tournament exit remained difficult to process, but welcomed the opportunity to focus on new objectives with Bayern. The veteran goalkeeper remains convinced that Vincent Kompany’s squad possesses the quality to compete for every available trophy. Neuer also expressed satisfaction with Bayern’s summer recruitment and noted that the club had not lost any indispensable members of last season’s starting XI. Neuer revealed that Bayern’s present environment convinced him to continue playing for another year. Manuel Neuer expects to retire after the season “I might have stopped in 85 percent of cases,” Neuer said. “But with this team, the staff and the coaching team, it’s simply fun. We always have the opportunity to compete for every title. [After this season], it looks very much like I’ll stop.” Neuer expects his relationship with Jonas Urbig to continue in a manner similar to last season. The captain stressed that Bayern’s goalkeepers—including Sven Ulreich and the club’s younger prospects—would continue supporting and challenging one another. “The important thing is that we help each other and push each other,” Neuer said, “so that we can always give the team the best possible performance in goal.” GGFN  |  Peter Weis