Manuel Neuer has ended his international retirement to earn a place in Julian Nagelsmann's Germany squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026, Neymar is back in the Brazil setup after fears he might miss the tournament entirely, and SV Elversberg are preparing to make history as one of the smallest clubs ever to compete in the Bundesliga — three of the biggest stories in world football were unpacked on the latest episode of Football Daily on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Neuer's stunning Germany u-turn

The return of Neuer to the Germany squad has raised eyebrows across European football. Both the goalkeeper and Nagelsmann had been emphatic that his international career was over following the 2024 European Championship, making the reversal all the more striking.

Hoffenheim's Oliver Baumann had been anointed as Germany's new number one in the wake of that tournament, and a section of the fanbase now wants him to retain the position ahead of the tournament. Whether Nagelsmann will hand Neuer the gloves or stick with Baumann shapes up as one of Germany's more intriguing pre-tournament debates.

Neymar back for Brazil

Neymar's inclusion in the Brazil squad brings relief to a nation that had braced for the possibility of him missing FIFA World Cup 2026 altogether. The forward's road back from injury has been long and uncertain, and his return is not without pressure — the panel on Football Daily examined whether the weight of expectation surrounding Neymar could become a burden during the tournament. Notably, Joao Pedro has been left out of the squad.

Spygate: a European perspective

The episode also offered a continental lens on the controversy surrounding Southampton's alleged spying activities. Journalists Rafa Honegstein, Julien Laurens, and James Horncastle provided perspectives from Germany, France, and Italy respectively, exploring how such practices are perceived across Europe. Tactical intelligence gathering does occur at clubs across the continent, though the panel questioned whether anything of this scale had previously been documented.

The profile of Tonda Eckert, a figure central to the spying story, also drew considerable discussion from the panel.

Elversberg's historic Bundesliga promotion

SV Elversberg's promotion to the Bundesliga — secured by finishing second in the 2. Bundesliga — marks a historic milestone for one of German football's smaller clubs. The achievement is made more remarkable given that Elversberg narrowly missed out on promotion the previous season, then lost long-serving manager Horst Steffen, who departed after six years to join Werder Bremen.

Lars Joeckel from the ELV Friends Bliesen supporter group joined the Football Daily panel to reflect on a season that few outside the club could have scripted. The club's journey prompted Honegstein to admit he was trying hard not to spoil the fairytale with too much analysis.

Serie A's final-day drama

The last weekend of the Serie A season arrives with several clubs still battling for UEFA Champions League qualification. Cesc Fàbregas' Como have been one of the most talked-about sides all campaign, while questions are mounting over the direction of both AC Milan and Juventus heading into the summer.