German legend Manuel Neuer continues his favorite habit of shattering football records, and this time, former France captain Hugo Lloris is the one overtaken.
By starting in Germany’s World Cup clash against Ivory Coast, Neuer has officially become the all-time appearance leader for goalkeepers in World Cup history, marking his 21st appearance in the tournament.
The previous record was held by Lloris, who made 20 appearances across four World Cup editions for France between 2010 and 2022.
Neuer’s historic milestone comes as a surprise, given that the 40-year-old goalkeeper was originally not expected to feature in the 2026 World Cup. However, a pivotal, last-minute conversation with manager Julian Nagelsmann just days before the tournament convinced the veteran to reverse his international retirement decision.
Neuer previously started in Germany’s 2026 opening match against Curaçao, conceding one goal, before taking the pitch against Ivory Coast to claim the historic record outright.
A Legendary World Cup Legacy: Neuer’s World Cup journey began back in South Africa 2010 during an opening match against Australia. Since that day, no other goalkeeper has guarded the net for Die Mannschaft in a World Cup tournament up to 2026.
Throughout his illustrious World Cup career, Neuer has kept 7 clean sheets, conceded 18 goals, and famously lifted the prestigious trophy at Brazil 2014.
