Manuel Neuer

Manuel Peter Neuer, born on March 27, 1986, stands as a distinguished German professional footballer renowned for his exceptional skills as a goalkeeper. Currently, he serves as the captain for both the German national team and the Bundesliga powerhouse, Bayern Munich. Widely celebrated as one of the premier goalkeepers in the history of the sport, Neuer is often described as a "sweeper-keeper" due to his unique playing style, characterized by swift rushes off the goal line to anticipate and thwart opponents, even venturing beyond the penalty area. His influential contributions have solidified his status as one of the greatest goalkeepers, earning him the title of the best goalkeeper of the decade from 2011 to 2020 by IFFHS.


Neuer's professional journey commenced at Schalke 04, where he not only secured triumphs in the DFB-Pokal and DFL-Ligapokal but also assumed the role of club captain in 2010. The turning point in his career came in 2011 when he joined Bayern Munich. Since then, Neuer has amassed an impressive collection of 28 trophies, including eleven Bundesliga titles and two UEFA Champions League titles in 2013 and 2020, both achieved as part of treble victories. Notably, he holds the distinction of being the only goalkeeper in history to achieve the European treble twice, the latter instance as the captain of the team.


In 2014, Neuer's outstanding performances earned him a third-place finish in the FIFA Ballon d'Or award, trailing behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. His goalkeeping prowess is further underscored by accolades such as the Best European Goalkeeper (a record five times), the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper (joint-record five times alongside Gianluigi Buffon and Iker Casillas), and the Best FIFA Goalkeeper in 2020.


Within the Bundesliga, Neuer has left an indelible mark by setting numerous records, including the highest number of clean sheets recorded (223), the most clean sheets in a single season (21), and the fastest achievement of 100 clean sheets in 183 games. Remarkably, he remains the sole goalkeeper in Bundesliga history with over 100 appearances to have conceded fewer goals than games played.


On the international stage, Neuer served as Germany's primary goalkeeper in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, conceding only a single goal during the group stages and contributing significantly to Germany's 4-1 victory over England by providing the assist for Miroslav Klose's opening goal. In 2014, he played a pivotal role in Germany's World Cup triumph, securing the Golden Glove award for the best goalkeeper in the tournament. His exceptional performance earned him a place in the All-Star Team and Dream Team of the competition.


Manuel Neuer's early career unfolded with Schalke 04 II in multiple seasons: 2003–04, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2007–08, and 2008–09. Hailing from his hometown, Neuer progressed through all age groups within the Schalke 04 setup, eventually securing a professional contract in 2005. Despite not making any first-team appearances during the 2005–06 season, he gained valuable experience by being on the bench several times and contributed to Schalke's success as an unused substitute in their 2005 DFL-Ligapokal victory.


Neuer's Bundesliga debut finally arrived during the 2006–07 season when he entered the field as a substitute for the injured Frank Rost on matchday 2. At just 20 years old, he seized the starting position after Rost was unexpectedly dropped for a crucial encounter against Bayern Munich. Neuer's impressive performance resulted in a commendable 2–2 draw against the defending champions. Throughout the 2006–07 season, he made 27 league appearances, showcasing his talent and earning recognition as a potential successor to his former idol, Jens Lehmann, for the future German national team.


Manuel Neuer's early career unfolded with Schalke 04 II in multiple seasons: 2003–04, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2007–08, and 2008–09. Hailing from his hometown, Neuer progressed through all age groups within the Schalke 04 setup, eventually securing a professional contract in 2005. Despite not making any first-team appearances during the 2005–06 season,[39] he gained valuable experience by being on the bench several times and contributed to Schalke's success as an unused substitute in their 2005 DFL-Ligapokal victory.


Neuer's Bundesliga debut finally arrived during the 2006–07 season when he entered the field as a substitute for the injured Frank Rost on matchday 2. At just 20 years old, he seized the starting position after Rost was unexpectedly dropped for a crucial encounter against Bayern Munich. Neuer's impressive performance resulted in a commendable 2–2 draw against the defending champions. Throughout the 2006–07 season, he made 27 league appearances, showcasing his talent and earning recognition as a potential successor to his former idol, Jens Lehmann, for the future German national team.


In the 2007–08 season, Neuer commenced by participating in three matches in the German League Cup. A defining moment occurred on March 5, 2008, during the UEFA Champions League knockout round against Porto. Neuer's exceptional saves nearly single-handedly kept Schalke in the game, leading to a penalty shootout where he thwarted penalties from Bruno Alves and Lisandro López, propelling Schalke to the quarter-finals. His outstanding performance earned him a spot on the shortlist for the 2007–08 UEFA Club Goalkeeper of the Year award, making him the youngest and the sole Bundesliga goalkeeper nominated.


Neuer was also one of only three Bundesliga players to play every minute in the 2007–08 season, finishing with a total of 50 appearances across all competitions.
The subsequent 2008–09 season saw Schalke finishing eighth in the league table, missing out on a Europa League spot. Despite the team's overall performance, Neuer's stellar showing at the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship attracted interest from Bayern Munich. Although Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge expressed interest in signing him, Schalke's manager, Felix Magath, insisted that Neuer would remain with the club for the next season. In November, he stood as the lone German goalkeeper among the five nominated for the UEFA Team of the Year. Neuer concluded the 2008–09 season with 39 appearances.


The 2009–10 season maintained Neuer's consistent presence, tallying 39 appearances once again.A pivotal moment in his career came in the 2010–11 season when he was appointed captain of Schalke. Under his leadership, the team achieved its first-ever Champions League semi-final appearance against Manchester United. Additionally, Neuer guided Schalke to victory in the DFB-Pokal, culminating in a 5–0 triumph over MSV Duisburg. However, on April 20, 2011, he announced his decision not to extend his contract with Schalke, which was set to expire at the end of the 2011–12 season. This decision drew criticism from disappointed Schalke fans, as Neuer concluded the season with 53 appearances.

References

1.  "FIFA World Cup Russia 2018: List of Players: Germany" (PDF). FIFA. 15 July 2018. p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 June 2019.
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10. a b Mattia Losi (13 January 2014). "Ronaldo Pallone d'Oro, ma io avrei premiato Neuer" (in Italian). Il Sole 24 Ore. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
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14. a b Kevin Baxter (10 October 2015). "Germany's Manuel Neuer takes goalkeeping to spectacular levels". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 28 January 2016.