The decision has reportedly been made: Oliver Baumann has already received the bitter World Cup news - and is said to have reacted remarkably

Instead, of all people, Neuer is set to guard the German goal. The veteran goalkeeper from FC Bayern Munich has thus ousted the man who has been the national team's rock throughout the World Cup qualifiers.

For Baumann, this decision is a bitter blow. The 35-year-old has been in consistent form over recent months, proving a reliable pillar throughout the World Cup qualifying campaign and earning what seemed to be his long-awaited shot at a starting berth. Now he must step aside, because the name Neuer still carries untouchable weight in German football and his recent form has been strong.

Nevertheless, Baumann demonstrated true team spirit. According to the tabloid, the Hoffenheim goalkeeper told the national coach during the same phone call—despite the bitter disappointment of being dropped from the squad—that he would remain fully available to the DFB team, even in the role of a challenger at the World Cup.

Nevertheless, picking the now 40-year-old Neuer carries a sporting risk that could disrupt Nagelsmann's plans even before the tournament starts. The body of the former national goalkeeper, who retired in 2024, is once again sending warning signals.

Last weekend, in the final competitive outing before the squad was announced, Neuer had to leave the pitch early. The diagnosis: left calf problems—a muscle group that has frequently sidelined the veteran over his long career.

According to Bild, Bayern captain Manuel Neuer arrived at the club's training ground at 9.58 am on Monday, but he bypassed the training session. Instead, the goalkeeper received treatment in the performance centre while his teammates trained on the pitch at midday.

With the cup final and the subsequent tour to North America looming, the record champions are taking no chances. The good news is that scans have ruled out a structural muscle injury such as a torn fibre.

That diagnosis keeps alive the prospect of a swift return. Bayern's DFB Cup final against VfB Stuttgart comes up this Saturday, and a start for Neuer at Berlin's Olympic Stadium remains a realistic possibility—offering the perfect platform to make a statement before the World Cup.

It would mark the latest chapter in one of the most astonishing turnarounds in recent DFB history. Neuer had announced the end of his illustrious international career on 21 August 2024, after 124 caps, with the bitter 1-2 extra-time defeat to Spain in the Euro quarter-finals on 5 July 2024 appearing to be his final curtain call.

Just how relaxed—yet cryptic—the 2014 World Cup winner is about the whole situation was clear from his comments after Bayern's emphatic 5-1 win over 1. FC Köln. When asked about the rumours, Neuer remained emphatically calm: "I'm totally relaxed about it. We're celebrating the league title today. I've got a very important match coming up next week in the DFB-Pokal. So it's not an issue for me."

Yet when reporters pressed him on whether he could categorically rule out a national-team return, the 2014 World Cup winner smiled and replied, "You don't need to know that."

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