Manuel Neuer set for World Cup return at the age of 40 in Germany’s opener

By Andy Hampson, Press Association

Manuel Neuer will make his return to the World Cup stage when Germany begin their campaign on Sunday.

The veteran Bayern Munich goalkeeper has come out of international retirement for the tournament in North America.

The 40-year-old has played in four previous World Cups – including Germany’s triumph in 2014 – but a fifth appeared to have been ruled out when he stepped away from the national team two years ago.

But with natural replacement Marc-Andre ter Stegen injured, that changed when he was coaxed back into the fray by coach Julian Nagelsmann last month.

Due to a calf problem, he did not feature in the recent warm-up games against Finland and the United States, but he is expected to be first choice for the Group E opener against minnows Curacao in Houston.

Striker Deniz Undav believes he has already had an impact on the squad.

The Stuttgart forward said at a press conference: “Manu is always on the go. Manu talks a lot, even off the pitch. He commands respect.

“When he’s in goal, you can see it even in training – as a striker, you have to be a bit more precise with your shots.

“He’s one of the best goalkeepers of all time, but also a very calm man. When you talk to him, you can feel his experience and his understanding of football.”

Since their success 12 years ago, Germany have failed to get out of the group stage at the past two World Cups.

Undav said: “Everyone is really excited for the first match. The focus is definitely there, everyone is giving it their all in training.

“It would be very important to start the tournament successfully. Of course, we want to win.

“Becoming world champion is the goal. If I were to say now that we only want to reach the round of 16, then I’m in the wrong place.

“Every one of these guys has a goal – and that is to become world champion.”

Their first opponents Curacao are the smallest nation to qualify for the World Cup having taken advantage of the absence of co-hosts USA, Canada and Mexico from the qualification competition.

At the age of 78, Curacao coach Dick Advocaat, the former Rangers, Sunderland, Netherlands, Belgium and South Korea boss, is the oldest person to take charge of a team in World Cup history.