Manuel Neuer primed to enter uncharted territory against Côte d’Ivoire
Appearance milestone in sights shortly into 40-year-old's international comeback
German will overtake France’s Hugo Lloris with his 21st World Cup appearance
If Manuel Neuer takes his place in goal for Germany’s second fixture at the , against Côte d’Ivoire , he will once again etch his name into the history books. The 40-year-old Bayern Munich legend is in line to become the all-time leading FIFA World Cup™ appearance-maker among goalkeepers.
Neuer who has been lighting up world football for two decades, is on the brink of setting a record in his own right, shortly after equalling by appearing at his fifth edition of the global showpiece.
The former Schalke shot-stopper has had an almost uninterrupted run as Germany’s first-choice keeper since South Africa 2010. In his side’s over tournament newcomers Curaçao this past Sunday, he pulled level with Hugo Lloris’ tally of 20 World Cup matches.
Neuer’s crowning moment on the global stage arguably came during the Round-of-16 encounter against Algeria on 30 June 2014. In a performance for the ages, the man from Gelsenkirchen opted against simply waiting to showcase his superb reflexes between the sticks. Instead, he threw caution to the wind and caused a stir by regularly rushing far off his line to snuff out danger in spectacular fashion. It was a sweeper-keeper masterclass that redefined the No1 role, and which continues to be more than just a footnote to Germany’s eventual march to glory.
Fast forward to 2026 and Neuer’s undimmed enthusiasm and ambition were on full display in the wake of the . "We really enjoyed ourselves out there, and the players who came on brought a real sense of energy," the seasoned campaigner told TV network Magenta after the game. "The team spirit is plain to see. Granted, it was only an opening match against Curaçao, not a semi-final against Brazil, but it’s important to get off to a good start. We’re really pleased to have done just that.
"I can still remember my World Cup debut, against Australia in 2010. I’m savouring this as if it were my first World Cup. If you love football, you love it through and through, and that’s why appearing at a fifth World Cup is really special for me."
By lining up against the Caribbean islanders at the age of 40 years and 79 days, Neuer became the oldest German player ever to feature at a major tournament, eclipsing the mark set by Matthaus at UEFA EURO 2000.
The goalkeeper was understandably over the moon after winning his first cap in almost two years: “I’ve been looking forward to this and counting down the days: I was raring to go. It felt good to be out on the pitch with the lads.”
This coming Saturday, Germany continue their with their second Group E game, against Côte d’Ivoire. The match against Les Elephants represents a massive opportunity, with the knockout stage already within reach. In fact, Die Mannschaft could even make sure of top spot in the group if the result in the contest between Curaçao and Ecuador .
Neuer will be braced for a bigger test against the physically imposing Ivorians than he had in a largely one-sided encounter against Curaçao. However things pan out, though, Germany's evergreen goalkeeper will hope to play his part in propelling his side further with the ultimate aim of going all the way – and taking his appearance total at FIFA’s flagship men’s event up to 27 matches in the process.
Sources: FIFA Official
