As of Thursday the Germany men’s national team captain is once again a Bayern player following coach Joachim Löw’s decision to appoint Manuel Neuer as successor to Bastian Schweinsteiger, who has retired from international football.
Neuer is the first keeper to wear the armband since Oliver Kahn, the skipper until 2004. Bayern’s 30-year-old shot-stopper will lead his team onto the field for the first time in his 72nd senior international appearance, the 2018 World Cup qualifier in Oslo against Norway on Sunday.
Neuer won his first full cap on 2 June 2009 in a 7-2 victory over the United Arab Emirates. He left his boyhood club Schalke two years later and joined FC Bayern, where his long list of honours includes the World’s Best Goalkeeper award, the Champions League, the FIFA Club World Cup and four German championship titles.
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