European Football Championship - Neuer, Müller, Kroos: The last hurrah of the Rio champions
Thomas Müller stood on the small podium and felt like "at a horse auction". All eyes on him, a flattering comment here, a wink there. Müller was in his element at his Munich football arena after his EURO minutes against Scotland.
Müller seemed to be enjoying every moment. It's as if Müller knew that for him, after the EURO with 34 years old, retiring from the German national team would be symbolic.
Manuel Neuer (38) let the news almost slip out himself. "I still can't reveal that yet", said the eternal German number one about her future in the national jersey. Neuer has apparently already made a decision. After the EURO, he will "think about it", the team captain cautiously added. Only Toni Kroos (34) - as the third among the diverse remaining Rio World Cup champions in Julian Nagelsmann's squad - has made a clean sweep. Career end with EURO final whistle.
But not yet on Saturday (21.00 Uhr/ZDF/Magenta TV) in Dortmund after the round of 16 against Denmark. That would be two weeks too early. As a goal, all champions of 2014 have set the 14th of July - the EURO final in Berlin. At best, it will only end then. But it is almost certain that a chapter in DFB history will end there. Together, 364 international matches for Germany, three golden World Cup medals, in total ten Champions League titles, five each for Bayern and Real Madrid. A multitude of national titles. Three football careers in a nutshell.
Nagelsmann wants "solutions"
Officially, besides Kroos, nothing is decided yet. But national coach Nagelsmann has hinted that a cut is necessary for the 2026 World Cup in North America. "We need to find solutions. Because we have the oldest squad. We will need a few younger players", said the national coach. For the home EURO "it's a good mix", said Nagelsmann, who at 36 years old is the youngest coach in EURO history.
But younger players in, older players out. That sounds logical. And who else could Nagelsmann mean except Müller and Neuer, the oldest players in the squad besides the imminent football retirement Kroos? Maybe even backup goalkeeper Oliver Baumann (34) or Ilkay Gündogan (33), whose Germany career, however, only really begins positively with this tournament as team captain.
Rudi Völler spoke to Müller at least about the future in the team quarters in Herzogenaurach without revealing any details. "I like to have a coffee with Manuel and Thomas, to talk about their career and how it continues. They are absolute role models", said the DFB sports director.
Retirement, yes, retirement, no
The situation is actually just as clear for Müller as for Kroos. He will never make an official cut for the DFB jersey. His contract with Bayern Munich expires in a year. As a national player, one does not retire, according to his creed.
Sorted out in 2019 by Joachim Löw – and returned again. After the WM debacle in Qatar 2022, his words in the interview sounded like a farewell to the fans. But he came back once more. The Home-EM seems now like a final bonus. His "gimmick" minutes, as Nagelsmann calls them, he already got in the opening game against Scotland. The big dream of the first EM goal is still for the Bayern player, who scored ten WM goals in 2010 and 2014 but has not achieved it yet.
Nagelsmann referred to him as "lubricant" and "connector" among the generations. From the outside, it looks like Muller is the fifth wheel on the wagon. Notably, his bizarre actions before the warm-up program are striking. Like before the Switzerland game, when he unsuccessfully tried to kick the ball to the video-referee's mark in the Frankfurt Stadium. The pecking order among the veterans is evident from their tournament minutes: Neuer 270, Kroos 257, Muller 17.
Heirs are ready
Neuer will likely draw a clean line at some point. Whether after the EM, that remains to be seen. Eight tournaments as the number one since 2010. EM record-goalkeeper (18 games), German record-goalkeeper (122 international caps). He has shaped and dominated the goalkeeper era.
His long-term understudy Marc-André ter Stegen is ready to take over. In Alexander Nübel, his heir has already been appointed. For Neuer, it was a gratification to come back from his severe leg break in the DFB goal. And to silence the increasingly loud doubts about his strength, even at the tournament.
For Muller, there is already a rich pool of young options in the offensive department with the football magicians Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz (both 21) as promises for the present and future. The void left by Kroos as a calming presence will be significant. His comeback was Nagelsmann's masterstroke in personnel role-playing.
A loss against Denmark? It would almost be football blasphemy to end a career that way. Then perhaps even against the great Spain, his football homeland, in the subsequent quarterfinals. But ideally in the EM final. "Of course, that would be almost too cheesy, this ending, but I would take it," said Kroos. Neuer and Muller certainly also would.
- In North Rhine-Westphalia, Thomas Müller felt like he was at a horse auction, with all eyes on him and flattering comments.
- After his EURO minutes against Scotland, Müller was in his element in his Munich football arena, enjoying every moment.
- Manuel Neuer, also from North Rhine-Westphalia, hinted at his future in the German national team, but hasn't revealed his decision yet.
- Toni Kroos, another Nordrhein-Westfalen native and one of the remaining Rio World Cup champions, has made it clear that he will retire after the EURO final whistle.
- The team will face Denmark in the round of 16 on Saturday, a week before the EURO final in Berlin, which all 2014 champions have set as their goal.
- National coach Julian Nagelsmann has suggested that a cut is necessary for the 2026 World Cup in North America, implying that some older players might need to step down.
- In Herzogenaurach, DFB sports director Rudi Völler had a coffee with Müller and discussed his future in the team quarters without revealing any details.
- For Müller, retired from Bayern Munich by contract in a year, retiring from the German national team is not an option.
- Neuer, with 8 tournaments as number one since 2010, has dominated the goalkeeper era, and his heir, Marc-André ter Stegen, is ready to take over.
- Young talents such as Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz offer rich pools for Müller in the offensive department, filling the void left by Kroos.
- The loss against Denmark would be almost football blasphemy to end a career in such a way, but they aim to reach the EM final in Berlin instead.
- In the ZDF and Magenta TV broadcast on Saturday, soccer fans will eagerly watch as the German national team takes on Denmark in the round of 16.
