He may not have imagined it himself — but Manuel Neuer has just made history. After previously stepping away from international duty, the veteran goalkeeper had not expected to don Germany’s colours again. Yet, circumstances have unfolded in quite a different way.

Thanks to his remarkable return to the national side, Neuer achieved a major milestone today in only his second match since his comeback. By starting in Germany’s second group-stage clash against Côte d’Ivoire, the 40-year-old has now appeared in 21 FIFA World Cup matches — surpassing the previous record held by France’s Hugo Lloris, who featured in 20 World Cup games.

Lloris retired from international football in January 2023, shortly after France’s defeat to Argentina in the World Cup final in Qatar. As a result, the French goalkeeper has no further opportunity to add to his tally, unlike Neuer, who continues to extend his illustrious record.

As long as his fitness allows, Neuer is expected to feature again — at least once more — in Germany’s final group-stage fixture against Ecuador. The hope, of course, is that Germany secure a victory and confirm their progression to the round of 32.

That qualification could already be within reach, but for now, they must secure a win against Côte d’Ivoire. At the moment, the score remains 0-0.

What are your thoughts — can Neuer keep a clean sheet today?