For nearly a decade, FC Bayern’s Manuel Neuer had been regarded as the greatest goalkeeper in the world. Following Germany’s failure to qualify for the World Cup’s knockout stages, the whole team has come under huge scrutiny – and one of those who’s been singled out for particular criticism is 2014 World Cup-winner Neuer.
Far from the dominating presence we’ve come to expect from Neuer, the 32-year-old seemed like a shadow of himself throughout the tournament, not least in the Germans’ final game against South Korea. Clearly, Neuer was at fault for South Korea’s second goal in that game, but even earlier on in that match he looked unsettled and restless, as illustrated by him fumbling a shot that was hit straight at him.
In recent years, Manchester United’s David De Gea has been seen by some to be the world’s very best goalkeeper, and Manuel Neuer’s World Cup 2018 performances have again highlighted that the veteran German is no longer in the same league as the athletic Spaniard.