Germany have seamlessly qualified for the World Cup knockout stages, but despite that there is seemingly a strong debate over one key position involving a national legend.
Germany take on Ecuador in their final Group E match on Thursday in New Jersey (9pm BST).
Whatever the result, the four-time winners will finish top of the group, having already beaten Curacao (7-1) and Ivory Coast (2-1). This is in stark contrast to 2018 and 2022 when they were eliminated from the group stages.
The Ecuador match provides Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann the rare opportunity to rotate his side and give some of his squad players valuable minutes.
One of those positions would be in goal with Oliver Baumann yet to play at the World Cup with Manuel Neuer being Nagelsmann’s No 1.
Neuer’s return to the starting line-up has raised some eyebrows in his homeland after retiring from international football after Euro 2024.
According to reports, some Germany players want Manuel Neuer not to play against Ecuador
Some would like to Oliver Baumann start as a ‘reward’ for his role in their World Cup qualifiers
In his absence, Oliver Baumann became Germany’s No 1 but has since had to play second-fiddle this summer.
But with Germany already assured of a place in the last 32, Sky Sports Germany report that many players within the squad would like to see Baumann, 36, be given some minutes – considering he helped them qualify for this summer’s showpiece.
‘Some of the national team players would like to see Oliver Baumann start in goal against Ecuador tomorrow, and thus make his World Cup debut as a “reward” and a show of appreciation for him,’ they detailed on Wednesday.
‘The topic has been discussed in the dressing room in recent hours. It remains to be seen whether Julian Nagelsmann and Manuel Neuer will make it happen.’
That reported sentiment has been backed up by Mats Hummels, who was part of the 2014 World Cup winning starting XI alongside Neuer.
Hummels, who was also a team-mate of the 40-year-old’s at Bayern Munich, said as a pundit for Magenta TV: ‘That would certainly make headlines [not playing Neuer against Ecuador].
‘I’ve been thinking about it myself over the last few days. Personally, I would give Oli Baumann the game.
‘I don’t want to interfere in any way, though. But as a reward for how he handled the situation, and as the German No 1 in recent years, it would be appropriate to give him a World Cup appearance.’
However, despite those calls for Baumann to start it appears Nagelsmann will not budge on Neuer.
In his pre-match press conference on Wednesday, Nagelsmann said goalkeeper coach Andreas Kronenberg spoke with Baumann about the decision to stick with Neuer.
‘Oliver really understood,’ Nagelsmann said. ‘I understand completely from the human side and if we only approached it that way it would be obvious, but we have to look at the large picture.
‘It’s not always pleasant to make these decisions but those decisions have to be made.’
