Manuel Neuer has reversed his international retirement to be named in Germany's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with manager Julian Nagelsmann confirming the 40-year-old will serve as first-choice goalkeeper for the tournament.

Neuer announced his international exit after Germany's Euro 2024 quarter-final elimination by Spain, bringing a curtain down on a career spanning 124 caps that included the iconic 2014 World Cup triumph in Brazil. He has since been in outstanding club form, helping Bayern Munich claim the Bundesliga title and advance to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals this season.

Nagelsmann left no doubt about the veteran's standing in the squad.

"Everyone knows the aura and quality Manu has, what he brings to a team. We're planning with him as our number one."

Neuer becomes the latest in a remarkable list of 40-plus players selected for this summer's tournament, which is hosted across Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, Croatia midfielder Luka Modric, 40, Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon, 43, and Bosnia-Herzegovina striker Edin Dzeko, 40, have all earned call-ups for their respective nations.

Premier League presence in a 26-man squad

Nagelsmann has selected five Premier League-based players in his 26-man group. Arsenal's Kai Havertz, Liverpool's Florian Wirtz, and Brighton and Hove Albion's Pascal Gross are joined by Newcastle United pair Malick Thiaw and Nick Woltemade.

Bayern Munich teenager Lennart Karl, 18, earns a place alongside Galatasaray winger Leroy Sane, who also makes the cut.

The road ahead for Die Mannschaft

Germany, four-time world champions, open their Group E campaign against Curacao on 14 June before facing the Ivory Coast and Ecuador in their remaining group fixtures. It is a stage the side must navigate after crashing out at the group phase in both 2018 and 2022.

Nagelsmann has made his ambitions plain.

"The statement stands. We want to become world champions. Every player who is nominated needs to show it now every day."

Germany's full World Cup squad

Goalkeepers: Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Alexander Nubel (Stuttgart)

Defenders: Waldemar Anton (Borussia Dortmund), Nathaniel Brown (Eintracht Frankfurt), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), David Raum (RB Leipzig), Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Jonathan Tah (Bayern Munich), Malick Thiaw (Newcastle United)

Midfielders: Nadiem Amiri (Mainz), Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), Pascal Gross (Brighton and Hove Albion), Jamie Leweling (Stuttgart), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund), Aleksandar Pavlovic (Bayern Munich), Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart), Florian Wirtz (Liverpool)

Forwards: Maximilian Beier (Borussia Dortmund), Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Lennart Karl (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sane (Galatasaray), Deniz Undav (Stuttgart), Nick Woltemade (Newcastle United)