Manuel Neuer, the 40-year-old goalkeeper for Bayern Munich, announced on July 28, 2026, at a training camp in Bavaria that he is very likely to retire at the end of the upcoming 2026-27 season [1, 2]. Neuer stated, "It certainly looks very likely I’m going to retire" after entering his 21st professional season [1, 3].
In May 2026, Neuer signed a one-year contract extension with Bayern Munich, ensuring he will remain with the club through the next season [1, 2, 4]. Despite the likelihood of retirement, Neuer emphasized he is not treating the season as a farewell tour, adding, "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" [1].
Neuer cited the quality of Bayern’s current squad, staff, and coaching team as a key reason for continuing. "In 85 per cent 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 [1]. He also said, "With this team, the staff, and the coaching team, it is simply a lot of fun. We always have the chance to compete for every title and this squad is right at the highest level" [3].
The veteran keeper has endured some injury setbacks recently. Last season, he missed several matches due to muscle injuries and was sometimes replaced by backups Jonas Urbig, 22, and Sven Ulreich [1, 2, 3].
Neuer retired from international football after Euro 2024 but returned to the Germany national team for the 2026 World Cup, where Germany was eliminated in the last 32 following a loss to Paraguay [1, 2, 3].
Since joining Bayern Munich in 2011, Neuer has won 13 Bundesliga titles, six German Cups, and two Champions League trophies [1, 2, 4].
Neuer’s final season is set to run through mid-2027, with Bayern and fans expected to witness the conclusion of his distinguished club career then.
