Overview
- Germany were knocked out of the 2026 World Cup by Paraguay after a 1-1 draw and a 4-3 penalty shootout loss at Gillette Stadium, a result that ended their tournament in the Round of 32.
- Manuel Neuer confirmed his international retirement following the match, bringing to a close a comeback that saw him reverse an August 2024 retirement to start for Germany in 2026.
- Neuer made a record 23 World Cup appearances for Germany, becoming the nation’s all-time leader in World Cup starts and the most-capped goalkeeper in World Cup history.
- The tournament also extended an unwanted streak: Neuer conceded in 10 consecutive World Cup matches, and Germany failed to keep a clean sheet in 2026, intensifying criticism of Julian Nagelsmann’s decision to pick the veteran ahead of Oliver Baumann.
- An unrelated Solana-based meme token called NEUER launched around the tournament; it has no official link to Neuer or football authorities and carries the usual risks of unbacked crypto projects.