Manuel Neuer's Germany return 'a slap in the face' as Bayern legend criticises Julian Nagelsmann decision to name retired goalkeeper in World Cup squad

Matthaus has not held back in his assessment of the situation, suggesting that reintegrating Neuer at the eleventh hour is a major insult to those who have featured during the qualifying campaign. Speaking on Sky, he expressed his concerns regarding how the current number one, Oliver Baumann, has been treated.

“I don’t know what conversations have taken place,” Matthaus said. “It is a slap in the face of Oliver Baumann, especially if you haven't spoken to him yet. You should have prepared him for it – from a human point of view, you even had to. Manuel Neuer must, of course, also give Julian Nagelsmann the go-ahead that he is there. It's all speculation. The best goalkeeper is Manuel Neuer; he showed that too. Baumann has played great games.”

The timing of the decision is particularly sensitive, with just days remaining until the final squad nomination. Matthaus remains concerned that a lack of transparency from Nagelsmann could fracture the trust within the dressing room, particularly for goalkeepers who stayed loyal to the national team while Neuer was away.

When asked if he would still travel to the tournament if he were in Baumann's position, Matthaus was blunt. He stated: “If you are open with me, yes. If I find out at the last moment, I will think about whether I can still trust this coach. This is already a relationship of trust. We are speculating and do not know all the details. But it would be important from a human point of view to speak to Baumann.”

Hamann joined the chorus of disapproval, drawing a sharp distinction between Neuer’s situation and previous high-profile returns like that of Toni Kroos. Hamann believes that rewarding a player who did not participate in the qualifying rounds sends the wrong message to the rest of the squad ahead of such a major tournament.

“I wouldn't do it,” Hamann explained. “Baumann played the qualifying stage. That's different from Toni Kroos, when there was no qualifying. But now, after the last day of the season, to say: Neuer is back, I don't think is a good idea.”

Meanwhile, Ballack told DAZN: “The signs are increasing that he will be there. If he's there, he'll be number one.”

Neuer had refused to comment on Baumann's situation regarding his return to the national team, following Bayern Munich's 5-1 victory over Koln on the final day of the Bundesliga season. "For me, that's not an issue today. Today we are celebrating the championship; next week we have a very important task in the cup," he remarked.

When asked if it would be an affront to the Hoffenheim keeper if he took the starting spot, Baumann replied: "I can't say anything about that. Ask [Nagelsmann] tonight; he's on Sportstudio. That's not a question for me."