WhoScored Explained: How Manuel Neuer changed world football

Germany are ushering in a new era when they take on Hungary in their UEFA Nations League opener this weekend. Following their quarter-final Euro 2024 exit, Thomas Muller, Ilkay Gundogan, Toni Kroos and Manuel Neuer all called time on their international career. For Kroos, he hung up his boots for good. 

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Joshua Kimmich has since assumed the captain's role, taking the armband off Gundogan, while Marc-Andre ter Stegen has been appointed as his nation's number one. The 32-year-old isn't a rank amateur on the international stage having won 40 caps for Germant in his career, yet for too long now he has been forced to wait in Neuer's shadow. 

"I'm glad the wait is over," Ter Stegen told reporters this week. "I'm looking forward to this new task and to what I have ahead of me. I want to be successful." It's no surprise that Ter Stegen had to wait as long as he did to claim the starting spot between the sticks for the 2014 World Cup winners. Indeed, he had to play second fiddle to one of the greatest goalkeepers to have ever graced the game. 

In fact, there are arguments to suggest that Neuer changed world football with his sweeper-keeper approach to protecting his side's goal. Sam Tighe explored this tactical trend on WhoScored Explained last year. 

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