"Could be, could be," the captain of the German record champions said after his side's 2-1 win against BVB when SAT.1 asked whether it could be his last Super Cup interview.
Pressed again on whether he would end his career after the season, the 40-year-old was clear. "Now is the time to enjoy everything once again. Then I’ll see how the season goes. But basically, I do believe that this can be the last one," said Neuer.
That would hardly come as a surprise. During the training camp at Tegernsee, the goalkeeper had already indicated that he would not extend his contract, which runs until 2027, any further. "I don’t play the matches to say: This is my last match now – regardless of whether I may have been in one stadium or another for the last time. But it does look very much like I’m retiring!"
Who will be Manuel Neuer’s successor at Bayern Munich?
Even before extending his contract in May, Neuer had been giving serious thought to ending his career. "I would perhaps have stopped in 85 per cent of cases, but in this team and with the staff and coaching team, it’s simply fun. We always have the opportunities to compete for all titles. We are absolutely up there with the team. That is why this team, the squad and the structure we have at the club count for the 15 per cent where I said: I definitely have to carry on. It’s simply fun," he said during pre-season.
Now heading into the 21st Bundesliga season of his career, Neuer would most like to finish it by winning the Champions League. Bayern already have a successor lined up in Jonas Urbig. There is an agreement with the 23-year-old that the two goalkeepers will alternate during the season to make the step towards becoming the sole number one easier for the former Cologne player.