Overview

• At 39, Manuel Neuer delivered match-defining saves to secure Bayern’s Supercup victory over VfB Stuttgart, showcasing a late-career peak.
• Barcelona’s Marc-André ter Stegen underwent back surgery and will be sidelined for months, ruling him out of upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
• Former players and pundits including Lothar Matthäus are urging Julian Nagelsmann to call Neuer out of national team retirement for Germany’s 2026 World Cup campaign.
• Bayern München’s plan to introduce Jonas Urbig as a job-sharing option has been postponed as Neuer remains the undisputed first choice through his contract to 2026.
• Should Nagelsmann opt against recalling Neuer, he faces the prospect of relying on seasoned alternatives like Bernd Leno or Oliver Baumann for the tournament.