MUNICH — Veteran Bayern Munich and Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has been forced to withdraw from Saturday’s German Cup final against defending champions VfB Stuttgart, dealing a fresh blow to his fitness ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup and reigniting concerns over his match readiness for the national team’s campaign. The 40-year-old, who recently ended a two-year international retirement to earn a spot in Germany’s World Cup squad, is sidelined by muscle issues in his left calf, the Bavarian Bundesliga giant confirmed in a statement released Friday.
The injury, the latest in a string of fitness setbacks that have plagued Neuer throughout the 2024-25 season, occurred during Bayern’s final Bundesliga fixture against FC Cologne last weekend. In the immediate aftermath of the match, the club only noted that Neuer required an immediate break from training and match action, offering no further details on the severity of the problem or a projected timeline for his return. Friday’s announcement formalized his absence from one of the biggest domestic fixtures on the German football calendar, and the club once again declined to specify how long the star goalkeeper will be sidelined.
Neuer’s unexpected return to the German national side was the headline story when head coach Julian Nagelsmann unveiled his official World Cup squad earlier this week. Nagelsmann made clear that the Bayern captain would be the team’s starting number one goalkeeper for the tournament, marking a rapid comeback after two years away from international football. The injury setback comes at a critical juncture for Germany, with pre-tournament preparations set to kick off on May 27 in the Bavarian town of Herzogenaurach. The four-time World Cup champions are scheduled to play warm-up friendlies against Finland in Mainz on May 31 and the United States in Chicago on June 6, before opening their Group E campaign against first-time qualifier Curacao in Houston on June 14. Germany will also face off against Ivory Coast and Ecuador in the group stage as they chase a first World Cup title since 2014.