Thomas Müller, Manuel Neuer and Ilkay Gündogan’s national team futures up in the air after EURO 2024 quarter-final loss

Speaking after their 2-1 extra-time loss to Spain in the EURO 2024 quarter-finals (via @iMiaSanMia), Thomas Müller, Manuel Neuer and Ilkay Gündogan all commented on their futures in the national team.

Müller was the most blunt about whether he would retire from international football. When asked about it, the 34-year-old said: “Realistically, this could well be my last international match. We will talk. I’m not going to rule out playing for Germany from my side, but the coach and I will decide that it might be the more sensible option.” 

National team captain Gündogan was less sure of his future: “I can’t say yet so soon after the game. I will need a few days to think more about it. Then I will make a decision” The 33-year-old will be 35 the time the World Cup in 2026 comes around, if he is able to maintain his quality he could play a similar role as Müller did this summer.

Long-time Germany number one Neuer was also unsure of his future with the team, but said his decision could take  “half a year or longer”. The 38-year-old will be 40 when Germany potentially travels to the US in 2026 and it may be time for Marc-André ter Stegen to finally step up as number one as although Neuer has made several good stops in this tournament as well as this season, there has been times where he has been a long way off his usual quality. 

They are not the only players to have potentially played their last games for Germany as the loss against Spain signalled the end of the career of Toni Kroos, who had announced he would retire in the summer. 

It may be time for Müller, Neuer and Gündogan to hang up their national team boots as it would allow a new generation of players to play. The work Nagelsmann has already done in his short spell in charge has been very positive and the introduction of newer, younger and hungrier players could potentially push Germany to the next level that would make them favourites in competitions. 

GGFN | Jack Meenan