Germany Coach Confirms Neuer Ready to Play Against Curacao in 2026 World Cup Qualification

Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann has confirmed that goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is fully fit and will start in the 2026 FIFA World Cup opener against Curaçao.

The 40‑year‑old enters the tournament having not played for Germany in almost two years, after Nagelsmann persuaded him to come out of international retirement.

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Neuer’s last official match for Germany was on 5 July 2024, a 2–1 quarter‑final defeat to Spain in the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament. He then briefly retired from international football.

The 2014 World Cup winner suffered a calf injury during the build‑up to the 2026 tournament and did not feature in the 4–0 friendly win over Finland or the 2–1 victory against the USA.

“(He’s) definitely fit enough to start the game and he got better and better,” Nagelsmann said Saturday night. “He didn’t really have the rhythm, but now he has found it. He played a lot; we trust him a lot, and I think… in order to have a good World Cup, we need Manuel in top performance, and I think he can bring that.”

Four‑time champion Germany is a heavy favourite against Curaçao, the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup and making its debut.

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Although they are underdogs in the opener, Curaçao coach Dick Advocaat brings considerable World Cup experience, having coached the Netherlands in 1994 and South Korea in 2006.

Curacao’s chances of advancing to the round of 32 are slim. They would need a miraculous result or two, such as holding or shocking Germany, plus strong performances against Ecuador and Ivory Coast to have any hope.