There have been discussions for weeks about Manuel Neuer returning to the German goal. The national team coach has no sympathy for this. Oliver Baumann, the current number one, is not being tempted by the World Cup question.
14.10.2025, 13:30
dpa
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- Germany are back on the road to success in the World Cup qualifiers and are top of Group A after a narrow 1-0 win in Northern Ireland.
- Although the DFB team has kept two clean sheets recently, the goalkeeper debate is omnipresent, which coach Julian Nagelsmann cannot understand.
- "As far as I know, Manu Neuer has resigned. I wonder why we discuss it for three hours every week," says Nagelsmann when asked about the topic.
Julian Nagelsmann is tired of the ongoing goalkeeping debate. As the current number one, Oliver Baumann responded to the probing questions as coolly as he did during his appearance for the national team at Windsor Park in Belfast. After the 1-0 win, the 35-year-old was asked whether he could not claim to be the number one for the 2026 World Cup.
"I would say that we should tackle the short-term goals. For me, I want to deliver a performance like today," said the TSG Hoffenheim goalkeeper after the win in Northern Ireland. The World Cup ticket is what counts for him, not his personal World Cup prospects.
Baumann was therefore not tempted and avoided any comparison with his predecessors as number one goalkeeper, the currently injured Marc-André ter Stegen or 2014 World Cup winner Manuel Neuer, whose possible return has been debated for weeks.
For Julian Nagelsmann, Baumann's performance in the hard-fought win was also a reason to once again express his lack of understanding for any discussion about goalkeeping. The national coach described them as "not expedient". "Anyone who is human can well imagine that it doesn't leave him completely cold," said Nagelsmann on TV station RTL, expressing his satisfaction with Baumann's performance.
However, the team senior did not appear particularly emotional - rather serene. In his eight international matches since October 2024, he has scored four times. "As I've always said, I want to help the team. I know it's boring for you, but it feels extremely good for me," he said.
No defeats because of goalkeepers
"In the last ten games, we haven't lost one because we had a bad goalkeeper," emphasized Nagelsmann and clarified: "We don't have a goalkeeping problem at the moment."
In Northern Ireland, veteran Baumann saved the win, especially in the closing stages. Jonathan Tah also wanted to emphasize that. "As a team, we don't get that much out of the situation. All I can say is that Olli did an outstanding job. You get the feeling that there's someone you can always rely on. Even in tricky situations," said the Bayern defender.
The discussion is not to anyone's advantage. "I don't think it's good for Manu either. For the peace and quiet he needs at Bayern for his undoubtedly good performances. As far as I know, Manu has also resigned. I wonder why we discuss this for three hours every week," added Nagelsmann.
