Manuel Neuer confirms he plans to retire at end of 2026-27 season as Bayern Munich icon aims to sign off with third Champions League crown

Neuer has revealed that the 2026-27 season will likely be his final campaign as a professional footballer. Having recently signed a one-year contract extension at the Allianz Arena, the 40-year-old icon has used the club’s pre-season training camp in Tegernsee to clarify his future plans.

"I don't play the matches just to say, 'This is my last game,'" Neuer told reporters. "It doesn't matter whether this might have been my last time at one stadium or another – we'll see. It certainly looks very much as though I'm going to retire."

Despite the looming retirement, Neuer remains as competitive as ever, with his sights firmly set on European glory. The veteran shot-stopper has already collected two Champions League winners' medals during his time with Bayern, and the motivation to secure a third remains the driving force behind his daily work. Last season ended in heartbreak with a semi-final exit against Paris Saint-Germain, but Neuer believes the current squad is more than capable of returning to the pinnacle of European football before he finally calls it a day.

"Our goals are all the goals we can achieve," explained Neuer, who won his record-equalling 13th Bundesliga title last term. "We've always said throughout last season that every match is the most important one. That's the mindset we're taking into this season too – we want to beat everyone. I believe we've had a good season and that, with this team, we have the potential to beat everyone and achieve all our goals."

While Neuer focuses on his own performance, he is also mindful of the legacy he leaves behind. The club has already begun the process of identifying a successor, with young talent Jonas Urbig viewed as a potential heir to the throne. Neuer has embraced the role of mentor, working closely with the younger goalkeepers to ensure the transition, when it finally comes, is as seamless as possible.

"We'll support one another; we've got a strong goalkeeping squad, including Ulle [Sven Ulreich] and the young goalkeepers," Neuer stated. "The important thing is that we help one another, that we push each other, and that we can always give our best for the team in goal."

When Neuer does eventually retire, he will leave behind a legacy that few can match. Since joining Bayern from Schalke in the summer of 2011, he has made 545 appearances for the club and transformed the way the world views the goalkeeping position. His ability to act as an eleventh outfielder, sweeping up behind a high defensive line and initiating attacks with pinpoint distribution, fundamentally changed modern football tactics. He won the World Cup with Germany in 2014, but suffered a painful end to his career with the national team, as Germany were eliminated in the round of 32 in the 2026 edition.

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