Neuer named first choice for Germany's World Cup squad after retirement reversal

 (Reuters) - Bayern Munich's Manuel Neuer has come out of international retirement to compete in next month's World Cup after being named on Thursday as the starting goalkeeper ​in Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann's squad for the tournament.

Nagelsmann made the decision after ‌having long labelled Hoffenheim's Oliver Baumann as his first-choice keeper.

"Yes I plan with that (with Neuer as number one)," Nagelsmann told a press conference. "The main task was to nominate the best three keepers. So we decided that ​these three are part of that."

"We contacted Manuel and asked him if he ​wanted to play for the national team again," said Nagelsmann.

The 40-year-old Neuer, ⁠who last competed for Germany at Euro 2024 before his international retirement, is now set ​to play in his fifth successive World Cup, joining an elite group of players with five ​or more tournaments.

Neuer, a 2014 World Cup winner, enjoyed a solid season with champions Bayern, who can win the domestic double with victory over VfB Stuttgart in the German Cup final on Saturday.

He signed a ​contract extension with Bayern last week.

There were few other major surprises in Nagelsmann's 26-man squad for ​the tournament starting next month, but the coach also called up Bayern teenager Lennart Karl, who enjoyed a ‌meteoric ⁠rise this season, as well as Nadiem Amiri and Leroy Sane, who both had outside chances of earning a spot.

"They (players) fit well together. It is a good mix. Many have been playing since the youth together," Nagelsmann said. "We are happy with our choice but know others will ​stay at home who ​have performed very ⁠well."

Germany, who face Curacao, Ecuador and Ivory Coast in Group E at the World Cup, have set their sights on a fifth title ​after shock first-round exits in the past two editions in 2018 and ​2022.

"The statement ⁠stands," Nagelsmann said. "We want to become world champions. Every player who is nominated needs to show it now every day."

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer, Oliver Baumann, Alexander Nuebel.

Defenders: Nico Schlotterbeck, David Raum, Nathaniel Brown, ⁠Jonathan Tah, ​Waldemar Anton, Pascal Gross, Joshua Kimmich, Felix Nmecha, Malick ​Thiaw, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Antonio Ruediger, Angelo Stiller.

Midfielders/Forwards: Leon Goretzka, Maximilian Beier, Jamal Musiala, Nadiem Amiri, Jamie Leweling, Kai Havertz, ​Lennart Karl, Florian Wirtz, Deniz Undav, Nick Woltemade, Leroy Sane.