Manuel Neuer becomes oldest player in Germany's World Cup squad. Manuel Neuer played his 20th World Cup match and became the oldest player in Germany's squad at the tournament. The goalkeeper matched the appearance record set by Lloris. Germany began the tournament with a match against Curaçao.
Germany's national team goalkeeper Manuel Neuer returned to the field in the team's opening match at the FIFA World Cup being held in the USA, Mexico, and Canada. His appearance against Curaçao in Houston was historic: the 40-year-old goalkeeper not only played his 20th World Cup match but also became the oldest player in Germany's history to participate in a World Cup.
This appearance allowed Neuer to equal the tournament appearance record of Frenchman Hugo Lloris, who previously held the goalkeepers' record. Lloris ended his international career after the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar, where France reached the decisive match. Now, both goalkeepers share the record for most World Cup matches played among keepers.
The Germany vs. Curaçao match was not only notable for statistical milestones, but also marked the tournament's kickoff for the German team. On the same day, fans' attention was drawn to other events: Scottish supporters rented school buses to travel to the game, the Turkish team had an unusual start, and the Portugal squad paid tribute to the late Jota with special armbands. In addition, it was reported that FIFA compensated one of the referees who was excluded from officiating at the tournament.
Attention to referees at the World Cup is traditionally high. For example, the Polish referee who officiated the 2022 World Cup final has again been assigned to Argentina’s opening match in the current tournament — more details on this can be found in the article on the appointment of the referee for Argentina's opening match.
The German national team began their campaign in the tournament on Sunday evening. According to t-online, all the key news and details of the 2026 World Cup are available in a dedicated news blog. For reference: the World Cup is held every four years, and Germany is traditionally considered one of the strongest teams in Europe. Goalkeepers who reach 20 matches in the tournament are among the most experienced players in the history of world football. This year's tournament features teams from three host countries, introducing a new format for the World Cup.
