“Yeah, I’ve always said one of the guys I worked with closely in my youth was someone I always worked to be similar to is Damian Las,” Brady said of his former teammate at the Chicago Fire academy.

“To me, he embodied the hard work it takes to be a goalkeeper at the professional level, and he really pushed the limit with speed, power, those type of attributes in the position. So, for me, it’s always been him, and I’ve been lucky I’ve been able to work closely with him.

“On a bigger stage, the world scale, guys that have been around. (Manuel) Neuer, (Thibaut) Courtois, Alisson, these guys. They’ve got a lot of very clean ways they play the position, and that’s stuff we look at every week.

“That’s stuff we discuss, if it’s someone who made a big save or a nice play, we talk about these things. In that way, we would look up to any of those guys.“

Brady’s great form ahead of 2026 World Cup

Brady is enjoying a fantastic moment early in his career. A strong start to the 2026 MLS season saw him make the USMNT roster in March, and even though Brady didn’t log minutes, his presence proves he’s on Mauricio Pochettino’s radar with only a few months to go the World Cup.

The Naperville native picked up right where he left off in his return to club action, posting his third clean sheet of the year to help the Fire beat Nashville 1-0. It was a statement win by Chicago, considering the Eastern Conference leaders were unbeaten before that game.

Brady’s four-save performance earned him a place on the MLS Team of the Matchday for the second time in the campaign, making the Best XI both times.

At 22, the future looks bright for the Fire sensation. It makes sense he tries to take note of what Neuer does at Bayern, Courtois at Madrid, or Alisson at Liverpool. With his current form, Brady is probably inspiring future goalkeepers as well.

For over a decade, Manuel Neuer has been more than just a goalkeeper for Bayern Munich — he’s been a symbol of the club’s identity and dominance, both in Germany and across Europe.

While age and injuries have entered the conversation, his contract shows Bayern’s continued faith in their long-time captain. His salary still places him among the elite, even in a squad filled with international stars.

What he earns today reflects not just past glory, but the weight of experience and presence in the locker room. The structure of his deal says as much about the club’s values as it does about his enduring stature.

What is Manuel Neuer’s salary at Bayern Munich?

Manuel Neuer remains among Europe’s best-compensated goalkeepers. According to sources like Capology, his 2024–25 base salary stands at €21 million gross, translating to roughly €404,000 per week.

That figure positions him at the top of Bayern’s wage list and cements his status as the world’s highest-paid gloveman—even as he edges closer to his fourth decade on the pitch.

In addition to that hefty base, his deal reportedly includes performance-based bonuses—likely tied to clean sheets, appearances and team success. This blend of high fixed pay and incentive clauses reflects the ongoing faith in his leadership.

How long will Manuel Neuer be at Bayern Munich?

In February 2025, Bayern Munich confirmed a one-year contract extension through June 30, 2026, marking his 15th campaign with the club. The renewal aligns with the approach to veteran stars: short-term deals that allow both player and club to reassess season by season.

With his 40th birthday looming before the current deal ends, he clearly intends to finish his career at Bayern, at least through this next season. The club, for their part, is planning ahead—grooming younger keeper Jonas Urbig while retaining the veteran’s presence.

Throughout a career defined by skill and spectacle, Neymar has faced a who’s who of elite defenders and world-class goalkeepers. In a candid 2024 interview with Brazilian outlet CazeTV, Neymar participated in a quick-fire Q&A segment—part of a popular social media trend. When asked to name the most difficult goalkeeper he’s ever had to beat, Neymar responded without hesitation: “Neuer.”

The shoutout to German legend Manuel Neuer speaks volumes. Often hailed as one of the greatest goalkeepers in soccer history, Neuer’s resume includes a World Cup, multiple Champions League titles, and countless clutch saves. Neymar’s concise answer reflected both respect and the reality of their high-stakes encounters on the world’s biggest stages.

A storied rivalry: Neymar vs Neuer

Few player-versus-player matchups in recent football history have carried the weight and quality of Neymar against Neuer. Their encounters span years and competitions, consistently delivering elite performances and drama on the sport’s grandest stages.

Their most anticipated meeting was supposed to be the 2014 FIFA World Cup semi-final. However, a back injury ruled Neymar out, and Brazil suffered a historic 7–1 defeat at the hands of Germany. Fans were left wondering what impact Neymar might have had in a direct showdown with Neuer.

That long-awaited battle finally came in the 2020 UEFA Champions League final, where Neymar’s Paris Saint-Germain faced off against Neuer’s Bayern Munich. Despite several clear chances, Neymar couldn’t find the back of the net, as Neuer turned in a masterclass between the posts to help Bayern secure a 1–0 win and lift the European trophy.

The rivalry continued in the 2020–21 Champions League quarterfinals. Though Neymar failed to score, he delivered a brilliant display in the first leg in Munich—hitting the post twice and orchestrating PSG’s attack in a 3–2 win. PSG advanced on away goals, and while Neuer remained a wall, Neymar’s performance proved just how dangerous he could be.

Greatness recognize greatness

As Neymar reflects on a career filled with flair and fierce competition, his choice of Neuer as the toughest goalkeeper he’s faced adds another layer of respect to one of soccer’s most compelling modern rivalries.

In a 2023 interview with ESPN, Neuer was asked to choose between two of his most iconic adversaries: Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. “Well, both players performed at an incredibly high level. They each have different strengths and weaknesses,” Neuer explained. “But if I had to pick one, I would choose Cristiano.”

Pressed on whether that decision was tied to Ronaldo scoring more goals against him, Neuer elaborated: “Haha, well, he’s a very powerful striker of the ball. With Messi, you often have time to read the play. He’ll dribble past defenders, and while he’s hard to contain, you can usually sense when the shot is coming and adjust accordingly.”

“But with Cristiano, once he crosses the halfway line, you need to be on high alert. The shot can come out of nowhere, and the ball might already be in the net before you even see it leave his foot,” Neuer continued. “He really tests your reflexes to the absolute limit. Honestly, I didn’t enjoy facing him too often.”

Ronaldo vs Neuer: A storied rivalry

Cristiano Ronaldo and Manuel Neuer have squared off in some of the most high-stakes matches of the modern era. Their encounters have featured in both club and international competition, from UEFA Champions League knockouts between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich to clashes between Portugal and Germany on the international stage. Each meeting brought fireworks—and elite-level execution.

One of the most unforgettable battles came during the 2013–14 UEFA Champions League semifinals. Real Madrid overpowered Bayern Munich with a 5–0 aggregate win, and Ronaldo was at the heart of it. In the second leg in Munich, the Portuguese star netted twice, including a thunderous free kick that left Neuer with little chance. It was a performance that symbolized Ronaldo’s dominance and helped Madrid capture La Décima.

Their rivalry extended to international tournaments as well. In Euro 2012, Neuer shut out Ronaldo and Portugal in a 1–0 win during the group stage. Although the two didn’t meet at Euro 2016, Ronaldo led Portugal to the championship that summer. Despite the competitive edge, their battles have always been marked by mutual respect—two greats pushing each other to new heights.

The legacy of two legends

Even as adversaries, Neuer and Ronaldo share a unique bond through their legendary encounters. Each time they met, fans witnessed the ultimate showdown between clinical attack and commanding defense. Ronaldo’s ruthless finishing was constantly measured against Neuer’s extraordinary reflexes and leadership in goal.

In the broader arc of their careers, these showdowns added texture and legacy to both players. Whether it was a goal denied or a net-rattling strike, their clashes embodied the best of elite soccer. For Neuer, facing Ronaldo may not have been pleasant—but it helped define his greatness. And for Ronaldo, overcoming one of the game’s best keepers only strengthened his claim to immortality.

“He is nursing a broken rib. He will most likely not play anymore this year. It is important for this to heal, and from January, we’ll have him again,” Kompany stated in his latest press conference. Neuer’s absence adds to Bayern’s growing list of injured players. Kompany acknowledged the challenges posed by injuries but expressed optimism for the future.

“The issue of injuries is that clearly we have a lot of people absent, but we held on well until now. From early January, we will have a big squad again. We handled it well so far,” Kompany added.

The injury list at the German club now includes eight key players: Harry Kane, Kingsley Coman, Alphonso Davies, Serge Gnabry, Joao Palhinha, Hiroki Ito, Josip Stanisic, and the recently sidelined Manuel Neuer. All are part of Bayern’s starting XI or primary substitute group.

Despite these setbacks, Kompany’s management has kept Bayern performing at a high level, leading the Bundesliga with 33 points. However, their upcoming Champions League clash against Shakhtar Donetsk presents a significant challenge. Currently sitting in 13th place, Bayern needs a win to secure their spot in the Round of 16.

Manuel Neuer’s long road of injuries

Manuel Neuer’s career has been marked by a series of injuries, yet he has consistently battled through them, returning to top form each time. His most recent setback, a broken rib, will keep him sidelined for the remainder of the year.

Throughout his career, Neuer has faced various injuries including hip, groin, knee, and leg problems, that have kept him off the field for a total of 1005 days. Despite these challenges, the German goalkeeper has shown remarkable resilience, always managing to bounce back and reclaim his place among the world’s best.

His admirable resilience has made him a role model for professional athletes worldwide. Neuer’s reputation as a goalkeeper has been solidified by his remarkable ability to regain peak form after long injury periods. Despite these setbacks, he continues to excel as a modern goalkeeper, renowned for his footwork and his ability to play a “midfielder” role from the back with precise long-range passes.

Who will take over the Bayern Munich GK position?

Daniel Peretz, the Israeli goalkeeper, is set to be Vincent Kompany’s choice to fill in for Manuel Neuer. His exceptional footwork and youthful energy make him an ideal candidate to take over the position. At just 24 years old, Peretz has already showcased his potential on the European stage, impressing in the UEFA Conference League with his former team, Maccabi Tel Aviv. While the veteran Sven Ulreich has provided reliable backup, he has yet to prove himself as a goalkeeper who meets Bayern Munich’s high standards.

The legendary goalkeeper was a key figure in helping that Germany squad, which included stars like Toni Kroos, Thomas Müller, and Miroslav Klose, secure the championship at a packed Maracanã stadium by defeating Lionel Messi’s Argentina in extra time.

Emerging from Schalke 04’s youth system but representing Bayern Munich since 2011, Neuer established himself as one of the most reliable figures in the German national team. He made his debut on May 19, 2009, in a 7-2 victory over the United Arab Emirates and went on to compete in a total of four World Cups.

Without a doubt, his most significant match while wearing the white shirt with black, red, and yellow trim was on July 13, 2014, in Rio de Janeiro. Neuer emerged as one of the standout figures in the final, where Germany defeated Messi and company 1-0, thanks to a goal from Mario Götze.

In that World Cup, Germany not only defeated Argentina and France on their way to the title but also starred in one of the most memorable semifinals in history: a 7-1 victory over the host nation, Brazil.

Manuel Neuer’s numbers with the German national team

In his 15 years as Germany’s starting goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer played 124 matches for the ‘Mannschaft,’ conceding a total of 118 goals and keeping a clean sheet in 51 of those games.

In 2009, he was the goalkeeper for the Germany team that won the U-21 European Championship in Sweden, and in 2014, he was the champion of the aforementioned World Cup in Brazil.

The last remaining player from the 2014 generation

With Manuel Neuer’s announcement of his retirement from the German national team, there are no longer any players from the 2014 World Cup champions remaining in the squad.

Previously, the icons Thomas Müller and Toni Kroos, as well as Ilkay Gündogan (who did not participate in that World Cup), had announced their retirements.

The 37-year-old suffered a leg fracture in a ski accident in December, which continues to keep him on the sidelines. Yann Sommer replaced him last season, but the Swiss keeper left for Inter Milan this summer.

Since Alexander Nubel was sent on loan to Stuttgart, Sven Ulreich is the only option for Thomas Tuchel right now. But an Argentine world champion could give Bayern a boost at the position.

Bayern reportedly eye Geronimo Rulli

According to Florian Plettenberg of Sky Sports Germany, Bayern Munich have set their sights on Ajax goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli. The 31-year-old served as Emiliano Martinez’s backup for Argentina at Qatar 2022.

Rulli has been in the Netherlands for just a few months though, having joined the Amsterdam-based outfit from Villarreal for €8 million in January. Bayern need a goalkeeper fast, since they’ll take on Leipzig on Saturday, Aug. 12 in the 2023 German Super Cup. Six days later, they’ll visit Werder Bremen on Matchday 1 of the 2023-24 Bundesliga.

Keepers are essential in both the offensive and defensive phases. The finest teams in the world have always been backed by the best goalkeepers in history. As a result, the majority of the best players in this position in the world are members of national teams or participate in international competitions.

The best goalkeepers of all time hold the records for most shutouts, fewest goals allowed, most games played, and other statistical categories.Because of their essential role, theyalso command substantial salaries in the sport of football.

Which goalkeeper earns the most money in football?

The success or failure of a team frequently rests on the shoulders of the goalkeeper, whose job it is to protect the goal. Manchester United lost 3-0 (5-2 on aggregate) in the second leg of their UEFA Europa League Quarter-Finals clash afterDavid de Gea madetwo costly errors.

His present position as the highest-paid goalkeeper in the world only makes his recent performance more disappointing. Surprisingly, his salary is more than three times that of Manchester City’s standout goalkeeper, Ederson. The Spaniard also narrowly beats off Oblak and Neuer for first place.

Meanwhile, the disparity is significant when comparing them with Milan’s Mike Maignan and Inter’s Andre Onana, the goalkeepers that each team hasin the UEFA Champions League Semi-Finals.Considering the Frenchman is now the most in-form ‘keeper in the world, his current weekly salary of £60,000 is shockingly cheap. His competitor in the city, Onana, pulls in £65,371 weekly.

Take a look at thetop 15highest-paid goalkeepers in football/soccer as per Capology:

15. Ederson (Manchester City) – £100,000-a-week
14. Dean Henderson (Nottingham Forest) – £100,000-a-week
13. Steve Mandanada (Rennes) – £111,216-a-week
12. Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa) – £120,000-a-week
11. Alphonse Areola (West Ham) – £120,000-a-week
10. Jordan Pickford (Everton) – £125,000-a-week
9. Kepa Arrizabalaga (Chelsea) – £150,000-a-week
8. Alisson Becker (Liverpool) – £150,000-a-week
7. Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona) – £152,816-a-week
6.Wojciech Szczesny (Juventus) – £204,434-a-week
5. Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG) – £216,150-a-week
4. Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid) – £254,694-a-week
3. Jan Oblak (Ateltico Madrid) – £353,685-a-week
2. Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) – £356,572-a-week
1. David De Gea (Manchester United) – £375,000-a-week

The reigning Ligue 1 champions welcome the Bundesliga kings to the Parc des Princes on Tuesday, February 14 in the first leg of an exciting round of 16 tie. Needless to say, the stakes will be high earlier than expected for these sides.

However, many fans will notice some huge absences when these teams take the field in Paris. While Kylian Mbappe startson the bench for the hosts, Manuel Neuer is nowhere to be found.

Why Manuel Neuer is not Bayern’s goalkeeper against PSG in the Champions League

Many will probably be surprised to see Yann Sommer between the sticks for Bayern. What happened with their longtime keeper? Manuel Neuer is not playing for Bayern inthe Champions League game vs. PSG because he got injured in a skiing accident after the World Cup.

During the post-Qatar 2022 break, Neuer made a ski trip that didn’t go according to plan. The veteran goalkeeper had an accident that resulted in a fracture in his right leg (shin bone). Neuer was ruled out for the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery, so we’ll not see him back anytime soon.

Having had surgery to repair the fracture, the German veteran has stated he would miss the rest of the 2022–23 season. Unfortunately, heis in the twilight of his career and will be 37 years old when he finally returns to the field.

However, this is a pressing issue for the Bundesliga champions, who must find a replacement for their captain before the season begins again in the new year. Bayern’s CEO Oliver Kahn said last week that the 27-year-old Dinamo Zagreb goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, who excelled for Croatia at the World Cup, was not of interest to them.

Bayern to choose one ofEmiliano Martinez and Yann Sommer

Since his World Cup triumphwith Argentina, Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has reportedly drawn attention from Bayern. The 30-year-old was pivotal as he saved a penalty in the shootout and made a critical save in extra time to secure the win against France.

As the game came to a close, Martinez was presented with the Golden Glove trophy for his stellar performance. Now, after losing their starting goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to a ski accident, Bayern reportedly want to sign Martinez.

It has also been reported by Italian journalistFabrizio Romano that negotiations between the Bavariansand Borussia Monchengladbach goalkeeper Yann Sommer have started in an effort to find a replacement for Manuel Neuer.Sommer has reportedly began negotiations with Bayern, but he stresses that the conversations are still in their early stages and that Sommer is one of the candidates at the top of Bayern’s list.

A German speaker is reportedly highly desired as Neuer’s successor. But aside from Julian Nagelsmann’s squad, Inter arealso considering signing the Swiss shot-stopper. However, while the Italians would rather have himin the summer,Bayern would want to finalize the transfer in the winter.

In an incredible turn of events,Germany wereeliminated early of theQatar 2022 World Cupin the group stage. Hansi Flick’s team lost the opener withJapan, got a tie with Spain and defeatedCosta Rica. It wasn’t enough. For the second consecutive tournament, Germany couldn’t reach the Round of 16.

Manuel Neuer, one of the leaders of the German squad, decided to take some time off in order to relax and come back stronger for the second half of the season with Bayern Munich. However, in a shocking event not related with soccer, Neuer got a serious injury leaving his future in doubt.

How long is Manuel Neuer out after his serious injury skiing?

When the 2022-2023 season restarts, Bayern Munich will find themselves in first place of the Bundesliga and ready for a blockbuster matchup with PSG in the Round of 16 at the Champions League. The problem is that Manuel Neuer won’t be there as goalkeeper.

During his vacation time after the Qatar 2022 World Cup, Manuel Neuer suffered a huge accident while he was skiing and, as a consequence, the medical diagnosis confirmed a fracture in his right leg (shin bone). He is out for the rest of the season with Bayern Munich.

“Hey guys, what can I say, the end of the year could have definitely gone better. While I was trying to get my head clear while ski touring, I suffered a lower leg fracture. Yesterday’s surgery went well. Many thanks to the doctors! However, it hurts to know that the current season is over for me. Take care!” was Manuel Neuer’s message on his Instagram account.