Manuel Peter Neuer born 27 March 1986) is a German professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper and captain for both Bundesliga club Bayern Munich and the Germany national team. Widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, Neuer has been described as a "sweeper-keeper" because of his unique playing style and speed when rushing off his line to anticipate opponents.
Neuer started his career at Schalke 04 where he won the DFB-Pokal and DFL-Ligapokal. In 2011, he signed for Bayern Munich and has since won 19 trophies, including eight Bundesliga titles and a UEFA Champions League. In 2014, Neuer finished third in the voting, behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, for the FIFA Ballon d'Or award. He was awarded the UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year and the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper four times each.
Neuer was selected as Germany's number one goalkeeper for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. During the group stages, he only conceded a single goal. He provided the assist for Miroslav Klose's opening goal against England, winning 4–1. Four years later, Neuer won the 2014 FIFA World Cup with Germany as well as the Golden Glove award for being the best goalkeeper in the tournament.
