History rewritten! Neuer surpasses German legends at World Cups
Raphael Durand
Dailysports's expert
Manuel Neuer was named in the starting lineup for the match against Paraguay in the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup, rewriting the German national team’s record books.
Details: For the 40-year-old goalkeeper, this game marked his 23rd World Cup start. With this milestone, Neuer has surpassed two German football legends—Lothar Matthäus and Miroslav Klose—both of whom had 22 starts at World Cups.
According to OptaFranz, the Bayern Munich shot-stopper is now the outright German record holder for World Cup starts.
This achievement is especially symbolic for Neuer: he has been a cornerstone of the German national team for many years and continues to deliver world-class performances even at 40.
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