Germany opens World Cup without title talk as Neuer returns for Curaçao opener

Neuer back between the posts

Manuel Neuer was confirmed as the starter 17 hours before Germany’s World Cup opener against Curaçao in Houston. The 40-year-old Bayern keeper last played for the national team in the Euro 2024 quarter-final loss to Spain on 5 July 2024. He had initially retired from international football after that tournament but was recalled by Julian Nagelsmann shortly before the June nomination deadline. Around 3000 fans watched the public training session at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, where Neuer was the centre of attention.

“At his age he doesn’t need to settle in. He handles pressure situations.”

National team director Rudi Völler also backed the decision, saying Neuer already knows most of the squad from Bayern Munich and that nothing throws him off.

A quieter message from the camp

Germany once considered itself a tournament team that grew into events over decades. Two years ago, just after the dramatic extra-time defeat to Spain in Stuttgart, Nagelsmann had publicly declared he would be world champion in two years. This time the tone is different. Völler summed up the ambition by saying the team would be extremely hard to beat, a statement of self-belief without the old swagger.

“We will be damn hard to beat.”

Nagelsmann has not spoken about winning the title since the squad set up camp in Winston-Salem, and the rest of the group has been strikingly restrained.

Opposing coach hails Nagelsmann

Curaçao’s 80-year-old coach Dick Advocaat, forty years older than the German manager, offered generous praise before the match. He described Nagelsmann as young and famous, calling him an excellent coach and adding that anyone who becomes Germany’s head coach at such a young age must be something special.

“Young, famous, an excellent trainer. Anyone who becomes Germany’s national coach at that age has to be something special.”

Elsewhere in the tournament

Other groups saw first points distributed. Brazil drew 1–1 with Morocco, with Vinícius Júnior cancelling out Ismael Saibari’s opener. Qatar earned its first ever World Cup point by holding Switzerland 1–1 in San Francisco, equalising through a late own goal by Miro Muheim after Breel Embolo had scored a penalty. Scotland beat Haiti 1–0 – a first World Cup win in 36 years – thanks to John McGinn’s goal, sending the Scots to the top of Group C.

“We are very proud of ourselves. Hopefully we can get three points in the next match.”