"I think so": Bayern Munich's Manuel Neuer hints at retirement

Manuel Neuer of Bayern Munich has hinted at a possible end to his career at the end of the season.

"Maybe, maybe," the captain of the German record champions said at first when SAT.1 asked whether this could be his last Super Cup interview.

Pressed again on whether he will end his career after the season, the 40-year-old made his position clear. "Now is the time to enjoy everything once again. Then I’ll see how the season goes. But basically, I do believe that this could be the last one," said Neuer.

That would hardly come as a surprise. During the training camp at Tegernsee, the goalkeeper had already hinted that he would not extend his contract, which still runs until 2027, again. "I don’t play the games to say: this is my last game now – regardless of whether I may have been in one stadium or another for the last time. But it certainly looks very much like I’ll stop!"

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Back in May, even before his contract extension, Neuer had already been thinking seriously about retirement. "I would perhaps have stopped in 85 per cent of cases, but in this team and with the staff and coaching team, it’s simply fun. We always have the opportunities to compete for all the titles. We are fully up to speed with the team. That is why this team, the squad and the structure we have at the club are among the 15 per cent where I said: I definitely have to carry on. It’s simply fun," he said during pre-season.

Now he heads into the 21st Bundesliga season of his career and would love to finish it by winning the Champions League. In Jonas Urbig, Bayern already have a successor in place. The club has an agreement with the 23-year-old that the two goalkeepers will alternate during the season to help the former Cologne player make the step towards becoming the sole number one.