Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has said that one of the reasons for a return into the German national team was that he believes it can win the World Cup and he said he will decide on his international future beyond that at a later stage.
Neuer, 40, retired from the team after Euro 2024 but then agreed to return for the World Cup.
He is the only remaining player in the squad from the 2014 team that won the title, and he said returning for a fifth World Cup also had to do with potentially winning another title.
“I definitely believe the team can do it. Otherwise I wouldn’t be here! I think it’s an absolute gift for me to be part of this again. And for me, of course, it would be something very special to achieve it a second time,” the Bayern Munich veteran said.
No German has won the World Cup twice as a player.
Neuer said there was no concrete date when he decided on his return. He said he held general talks about his fitness with coach Julian Nagelsmann in February and March.
He returned between the posts in the opening 7-1 over Curacao on Sunday, and is set to be the keeper with the most World Cup games with a planned 21st appearance on Saturday against Ivory Coast, which would move him one ahead of France's Hugo Lloris.
Team-mates and Nagelsmann have praised Neuer's "aura" which helps the team a lot.
Neuer said that "for me aura has to do with appearance." He said he wants to give the team-mates "a good feeling" and be reliable.
"I always try to pass that on with positive energy. And that might be what they mean," he said.
Neuer added he was not thinking about his future beyond the World Cup “because I’m looking ahead and looking forward to all the matches, and I’m not thinking about saying goodbye to a special shirt.”
He also said: "I don’t intend to be back again between the posts at a European Championship in two years’ time."
