Neuer retires from the German national team again without regrets
July 2, 2026 · Global
Manuel Neuer announced his retirement from the German national team after defeat at the 2026 World Cup. Germany was eliminated by Paraguay in a penalty shootout.
Manuel Neuer announced his retirement from international football again after Germany's humiliating defeat at the 2026 World Cup. The German team had to be willing to be eliminated after losing to Paraguay on penalties after the match ended in a 1-1 draw. Neuer made an important save in the penalty shootout, but Jonathan Tah's miss gave Paraguay a chance to win. This marked the first time Germany had lost on penalties at a World Cup.
Julian Nagelsmann, the Germany coach, called the 40-year-old Neuer out of international retirement to appear at the World Cup. However, after disappointing results, Neuer chose to retire again. In a post on Instagram, Neuer stated: "Always an honour! An early exit from the World Cup is very disappointing. We clearly failed to live up to expectations and could have gone further in this tournament. A painful ending. I took a conscious decision to play for Germany once again. Firstly, because wearing the national team jersey has always given me deep pride. Secondly, because at the age of 40 with four World Cups under my belt, I wanted to support young players both on and off the pitch and help German football. Despite the bittersweet ending, I do not regret this decision. My disappointment is indescribable, but I feel very grateful for your support over the years and throughout this tournament."
Paraguay's defeat of Germany was the fourth biggest upset in World Cup knockout history, according to FIFA's differential rankings (since introduced in 1994). On Wednesday, the German team released an official statement reflecting on their defeat. "To the fans, this year's World Cup was held far from home. But you were there. You spoke. And you are ready for more," the statement read. "Unfortunately, we fell short of our goals on the pitch. We failed to show what this team is truly capable of. As a result, we deserved to be knocked out of this tournament too soon. We wanted to go on this journey with you and make Germany proud. But this year, as a team, we were not able to do that. This hurts. It hurts us as much as it hurts many others. We accept criticism of our performance. It is justified and part of the sport. However, hate has no place in football. We will not tolerate racism or other forms of discrimination. Football is about community and unity, not division. Thank you to everyone who supported us: thank you for your incredible support. We will come back stronger – with you by our side."
There is uncertainty over Nagelsmann's future, with the German coach insisting he will not resign.