For 61 minutes, the game between Germany and England appeared to be a perfect birthday present for Manuel Neuer. A clean sheet was looking likely for Germany and Neuer whilst Toni Kroos and Mario Gomez had given them a two-goal lead at the other end. However, it’s probably best not to talk too much about the final half an hour… After all, today is a new day, and a special date for Germany’s no. 1 – Manuel Neuer turns 30 today. The World’s Best Goalkeeper sat down with DFB.de to talk about his age, his ambitions and his association with Italy.
DFB.de: Mr. Neuer, happy birthday.
Manuel Neuer: Thank you very much!
DFB.de: How important are birthdays to you?
Neuer: I’m not one to celebrate my birthday in a big way every single year. Having one every year is part of life, but I’m not someone who looks forward to it days in advance. Sometimes your friends do expect some kind of celebration and perhaps they do this year as well, what with me turning 30.
DFB.de: How difficult are you to buy presents for?
Neuer: It’s not difficult to make me happy – at least that’s how I feel. I do sometimes hear my friends complain that it’s not easy to find a present for me. It’s always said that us football players already have everything, so presents with material value are apparently forbidden.
DFB.de: And that isn’t true?
For 61 minutes, the game between Germany and England appeared to be a perfect birthday present for Manuel Neuer. A clean sheet was looking likely for Germany and Neuer whilst Toni Kroos and Mario Gomez had given them a two-goal lead at the other end. However, it’s probably best not to talk too much about the final half an hour… After all, today is a new day, and a special date for Germany’s no. 1 – Manuel Neuer turns 30 today. The World’s Best Goalkeeper sat down with DFB.de to talk about his age, his ambitions and his association with Italy.
DFB.de: Mr. Neuer, happy birthday.
Manuel Neuer: Thank you very much!
DFB.de: How important are birthdays to you?
Neuer: I’m not one to celebrate my birthday in a big way every single year. Having one every year is part of life, but I’m not someone who looks forward to it days in advance. Sometimes your friends do expect some kind of celebration and perhaps they do this year as well, what with me turning 30.
DFB.de: How difficult are you to buy presents for?
Neuer: It’s not difficult to make me happy – at least that’s how I feel. I do sometimes hear my friends complain that it’s not easy to find a present for me. It’s always said that us football players already have everything, so presents with material value are apparently forbidden.
DFB.de: And that isn’t true?
Neuer: I don’t actually care that much about the value of certain things. The nicest gifts are those that come from the heart. Perhaps you do have to think harder what present you can get for me, but for the people that know me well I’m worth it.
DFB.de: You turn 30 today. Do you feel your age?
Neuer: How does a 30-year-old feel? I think at the age of 30 you still have youthful aspects but at the same time you’ve gathered enough experience to know how to succeed in life. I like this mixture. I generally don’t think one’s age is all that meaningful – there are 50-year-olds who still act and think like children. Turning 30 is also not a big deal for me in terms of my football career. I feel well and fit – I know that I have to look after my health, but turning 30 is no reason to start considering the end of my career.
DFB.de: Gigi Buffon is 38, and he wants to keep playing until the World Cup in 2018. Can you also see yourself still playing in ten years’ time?
Neuer: I love playing football. Every day. I love working hard, I love training, I love the games, I love the challenge. And as long as that still applies, I don’t see any reason to call time on something that makes me so happy.
DFB.de: While there is no sign yet that you will end your career anytime soon, have you ever considered what will happen afterwards?
Neuer: Not really. Sporting director, coach – there are lots of jobs that interest me. It’s always important to find a task that completes and challenges you. Taking the easy route has never been enough for me, and that will also be the case after I hang up my boots.
DFB.de: You’ve won almost everything there is to win in football – plenty of Bundesliga titles, DFB Cups, a Champions League triumph and the World Cup in Brazil. What is left that still motivates you?
Neuer: I’m supposed to say the European Championship now, right (laughs)? Our generation of players is very hungry for success. We are all very ambitious, and you don’t just lose this ambition by winning one trophy. I want to win the Bundesliga every year – and after winning it the first time, that feeling never went away. The same applies to the national team. Obviously it is our goal to win the European Championship, but that would also have been the case had we already won it back in 2012.
DFB.de: How important will it be to secure a victory against Italy on Tuesday, after giving away a two-goal lead against England on Saturday?
Neuer: It’s certainly important to end this international break with a victory. Italy are a team that we could face in France this summer, and it wouldn’t be a bad thing if we manage to make a statement before the tournament has even begun. But Italy are also very strong, and they were very impressive in qualifying. They will challenge us, which is a good thing.
DFB.de: Are you still upset about the semi-final defeat against Italy in 2012? Are they really a bogey opponent for Germany?
Neuer: I’ve played Italy twice – a draw in Milan in 2013 and that defeat in Warsaw in 2012. To me, that doesn’t make them a bogey opponent. I associate success with Italy and Italian football, and great tournaments like the 1990 World Cup. With FC Bayern we recently beat Juventus in the Champions League, repeating our feat from three years ago in the quarter finals of the same competition – therefore I don’t feat Italy all that much. I look forward to the game and hope that we can secure a victory in order to build momentum for the summer.
