Stimmungskiller Elfenbeinküste? „Deutschland steht schon unter Druck“ | Spotlight DFB

Ivory Coast: Mood Killer? "Germany is already under pressure" | DFB Spotlight The euphoria surrounding the German national team was high after their 7-1 victory against Curaçao, but now the second group match against Ivory Coast presents a real test. With our World Cup experts Nils Petersen and Philipp Lahm, we discuss, among other things, these questions: What are the strengths and weaknesses of the German national team? How many more chances can Leroy Sané be allowed to start? And: How can Ivorian superstar Yan Diomande be defended? Manuel Neuer spent half an hour on the press conference podium answering questions that had accumulated in the public eye since his spectacular comeback. The 40-year-old explained for the first time why his nomination was decided and announced so late, after the last Bundesliga match and before the start of the first training camp. "I was carrying a knock in February and March, and I wanted to focus on performing well first. Then we started discussing it: whether I needed to take breaks or whether I could train continuously? Whether I was capable of playing in a tournament?" "Oli Baumann and I had a long talk." Neuer was certainly aware that the late comeback caused some irritation, especially given Oliver Baumann's strong World Cup qualifying campaign. Nevertheless, he believes the path he took over the last two years, including his retirement after the European Championship on home soil, was the right one. "I retired in 2024 for good reason. From a purely sporting perspective, those two years would have been a heavy burden for me, especially since we at Bayern were always competitive and had a long run in the tournaments." However, one of his first stops after returning, even at the first training camp, was to talk to Baumann. "Oli and I have a very good relationship and had a long talk in Herzogenaurach. We also discussed how things developed leading up to this decision, how it came about. We exchanged very open words." Neuer praised the 36-year-old Hoffenheim goalkeeper for his "outstanding World Cup qualification" – but what goalkeeping situation will there be after the World Cup? Neuer seemed prepared for the question about his future, initially intercepting it like a cross. However, his subsequent phrasing, his look to the future, was vague. "For me, it's basically clear that this is my last tournament. I don't intend to be in goal at the European Championship in two years." These first two sentences sound considerably clearer than the following ones: "I don't want to dwell on the possibility that these could be my last games for Germany. That's how I handled it at the European Championship as well; that's why there was no statement after the elimination against Spain, and that's why I don't want to concern myself with anything in that direction. I'm looking ahead, looking forward to all the games, and not thinking about any farewell to a special jersey." Hints of a clear focus. Or perhaps a possible escape route? Neuer leaves no room for doubt regarding his objectives. He makes it clear that he wouldn't have dared to make this comeback in the autumn of his extraordinary career if he didn't believe in winning the title. "I definitely believe this team is capable of it," he says, adding with a determined look, "Otherwise, I wouldn't be here. For me, it's an absolute gift to be a part of it. But if I didn't see this opportunity to achieve it, I wouldn't be sitting here." ► Subscribe to the channel so you don't miss any more videos! ► Subscribe to the channel so you don't miss any more videos! Follow us on our other social media channels: ► Instagram:   / kicker   ► Facebook:   / kickeronline   ► Twitter:   / kicker_bl_li   ► TikTok: https://tiktok.com/kicker Our offers: ► kicker App for iOS and Android: https://hyperurl.co/kickerapp ► Website: https://www.kicker.de ► kicker eSport: https://esport.kicker.de