Neuer 'Very Likely' to Retire at Season's End

Veteran Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, 40, announced that he is "very likely" to retire at the end of the upcoming season. Neuer, who is also the Bayern captain, expressed his near certainty about this campaign being his last during a training camp in southern Bavaria. "It certainly looks very likely I'm going to retire," Neuer told reporters. This comes after he signed a one-year contract extension in May. Neuer cited the potential of the current Bayern squad as a key reason for continuing to play. "In 85 percent of cases, I probably would have retired, but being part of this squad -- along with the staff and the coaching team -- is just fun," he said. Bayern achieved a Bundesliga and German Cup double in the 2025-26 season but exited the Champions League in the semifinals. Neuer has maintained strong performance despite battling muscle injuries, having missed the German Cup final and several games last season. He clarified that he does not view the upcoming season as a farewell tour, stating, "I'm not playing these matches just to say, 'This is my last game.' It doesn't matter if I might have visited a particular stadium for the last time." Neuer retired from international football after Euro 2024 but returned for the recent World Cup, where Germany was eliminated in the last 32. Since joining Bayern from Schalke in 2011, he has won 13 Bundesliga titles, six German Cups, and two Champions League titles.

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It certainly looks very likely I'm going to retire.