Neuer, Manuel

Manuel Neuer, in full Manuel Peter Neuer, (born March 27, 1986, Gelsenkirchen, Germany), German football (soccer) player who, as one of the game’s leading goalkeepers, helped Germany win the 2014 World Cup; for his performance, he received the Golden Glove award as the tournament’s best goalkeeper.

Neuer began playing soccer before he was five years old. He initially wanted to play outfield in matches. His idol, however, was the local FC Schalke 04 goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, whom Neuer followed into the club’s second team when he made his debut in the Regionalliga Nord during the 2003–04 season. By the 2006–07 season, Neuer was becoming a first-team regular in the Bundesliga. He helped Schalke win two domestic cup trophies (2005 and 2011) and took international honours for his country at the under-18 (2004) and under-21 levels. At 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 metres) tall, Neuer was an imposing figure in the goal. Though he was primarily a shot stopper, he was also known for his instant reflexes and recovery. In addition, his command of the entire penalty area and ability to accurately kick or throw the ball to a teammate, often initiating offensive attacks, made him a standout goalkeeper. In 2008 he was nominated for the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Club Goalkeeper of the Year honours. The following year he helped Germany capture the UEFA Under-21 championship, beating England 4–0 in the final.

In June 2011 FC Bayern Munich signed Neuer. Initially, many Bayern fans were unhappy because of the team’s intense rivalry with Schalke, but Neuer won them over, notably by completing more than 1,000 scoreless minutes to break the shutout record set by former Bayern star Oliver Kahn. During the Champions League 2011–12 competition, Neuer’s reputation grew when he saved penalties from Real Madrid stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaká, and in the final against Chelsea, he even scored a goal in another shoot-out, though Bayern lost the match. A year later, in an all-German Champions League final at London’s Wembley Stadium, Bayern edged out Borussia Dortmund 2–1. In 2012–13, 2013–14, and 2015–16, Neuer’s strong play helped Bayern dominate in Germany, with Bundesliga and DFB Pokal League and Cup doubles in each season. In addition, Bayern won league titles in 2014–15 and 2016–17, giving the club an unprecedented five consecutive Bundesliga championships.

Neuer began competing with the German national team on June 2, 2009, in a match against the United Arab Emirates. The following year, he appeared in his first World Cup, with Germany finishing in third place. At the 2014 World Cup, Neuer amassed a save rate of 86.2 percent and allowed only four goals in seven matches. In the final, Germany defeated Argentina 1–0. The fact that Argentina did not manage one shot on target bore testimony to Neuer’s ability to anticipate opponents’ moves and reduce their opportunities to score.