Two key figures in the spotlight ahead of Germany’s World Cup opener

Manuel Neuer dives for the balls and makes secure saves. Leroy Sané—being the joker he is—pulls a little prank on Jamal Musiala. Ahead of the World Cup opener against the massive underdog Curaçao, the German national team projects an image that balances determination with a relaxed attitude.

“Everyone here has the same goal, and that is: to become world champions,” said Deniz Undav at the team’s headquarters in Winston-Salem before departing for Texas. After the opening-match shocks in 2018 against Mexico (0-1) and in 2022 against Japan (1-2), which heralded Germany’s biggest World Cup embarrassments, only a clear victory against the world’s 82nd-ranked team will do on Sunday in Houston.

Neuer back as No. 1

The focus at the World Cup opener is on comeback goalkeeper Neuer and winger Sané, who is once again under close scrutiny at a major tournament.

Undav summed up all the praise for Neuer’s charisma once again. “When a two-meter-tall goalkeeper is running toward you, it can be a little scary,” said the forward. Charisma, experience, international reputation. All these factors led to the 40-year-old’s recall and Oliver Baumann’s demotion.

Neuer’s fifth World Cup appearance sends a message both internally and externally. Nagelsmann doesn’t have that many experienced players on the roster. Neuer is, in fact, the only one who has ever played in a knockout match at a World Cup.

Sané needs to prove himself to the critics

On the other hand, Leroy Sané and major tournaments haven’t really gone hand in hand so far. In 2016, the winger was still a promising prospect for the future as a youngster at the European Championship. Twelve tournament games later, his sobering tally stands at zero goals.

And now things are supposed to go better in America? The boos from DFB fans during the friendly in Stuttgart against Ghana (2-1) at the end of March still echo. Sané is 30. And many are still talking about his potential. He has never shaken off the image of the brash, self-satisfied genius, not even in 76 international appearances.

The gap between external perception and internal appreciation is probably wider for no other player. Among his teammates, the joker is held in the highest regard. Nagelsmann also stands by him, teasing him verbally. After a clear message, he scored two goals in the final 6-0 World Cup qualifier. Against the U.S. in the World Cup dress rehearsal, he scored the winning goal in a 2-1 victory.

Against Curaçao, he will likely return to the starting lineup in place of Lennart Karl, who left the team due to injury. “You’re going to have a very good World Cup because you can run like a young deer,” Nagelsmann predicted in Sané’s nomination video. For the player, it’s time to repay that trust.

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