Manuel Neuer presents the European Championship ball

Manuel Neuer presents the European Championship ball

Manuel Neuer will be the first to get his hands on the European Championship ball, at least at an official event - even before his goalkeeping opponent Marc-André ter Stegen. The Bayern goalkeeper will be the star guest alongside chief organizer Philipp Lahm at the presentation of the match equipment for the 2024 home tournament in Berlin on Wednesday. This was announced by sponsor Adidas. The national soccer team will then train with the European Championship ball for the first time around 90 minutes later on Wednesday on the DFB campus.

Following his comeback after an injury break of more than ten months, Neuer (37) is not yet part of national coach Julian Nagelsmann's current squad for the international matches on Saturday in Berlin against Turkey and three days later in Vienna against Austria, even at his own request. Neuer recently emphasized that ter Stegen (31) is "currently" the number one, but left no doubt about his ambitions to be back in Germany's goal at the European Championships.

The German record goalkeeper suffered a complicated leg fracture while skiing in December 2022 and celebrated his comeback at the end of October. Nagelsmann has already indicated that a return for the European Championship test matches in March is likely. Neuer has been in Germany's goal at every World Cup and European Championship since 2010, only replacing ter Stegen shortly before the World Cup in Russia in 2018 following an injury.

ter Stegen will probably be in goal against Turkey and Austria. Other goalkeepers in the current squad are Kevin Trapp from Eintracht Frankfurt, Oliver Baumann from TSG Hoffenheim and, for the first time, Janis Blaswich from RB Leipzig.

Manuel Neuer, as the first member of the DFB's national team, will use the European Championship ball during the official presentation. Despite not being included in the current squad for the upcoming international matches, Neuer expresses his ambition to be back in goal for Germany at the European Championships.

Source: www.dpa.com