Manuel Peter Neuer was born on March 27, 1986, in Gelsenkirchen, then part of West Germany. Raised in Gelsenkirchen alongside his siblings, Manuel showed an early interest in football, beginning to play as young as two years old. His older brother, Marcel Neuer, went on to become a football referee. Manuel's formal football journey began in 1991 when he joined the youth academy of FC Schalke 04 at the age of five, not fourteen as sometimes mistakenly cited. He developed within Schalke's ranks, also making appearances for Schalke 04 II during his early professional years.
From 1991 to 2011, Neuer played for both the youth and senior teams at Schalke, establishing himself as a talented and reliable goalkeeper. Known for his reflexes, agility, and innovative playing style, he gradually earned a reputation for his exceptional "sweeper-keeper" approach—wherein a goalkeeper acts as an additional outfield player, intercepting balls far beyond the penalty area.
In 2011, Neuer transferred from Schalke 04 to Bayern Munich, one of the top clubs in Europe. The deal was valued at approximately €22 million, making him at the time the second most expensive goalkeeper in the world. He signed a five-year contract with Bayern and quickly became an integral part of the team. His consistency and leadership on the field eventually earned him the role of vice-captain.
In addition to his club success, Neuer has had a distinguished international career with the Germany national team. He began representing Germany at the youth level, joining the Under-19 team in 2004. Between 2006 and 2009, he played for the Under-21 squad and contributed to their victory in the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship by defeating England in the final.
Neuer earned his first senior national team cap in 2009 during a tour of Asia in the UAE. He was subsequently selected as Germany's first-choice goalkeeper for major international tournaments, including the 2010 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2012, and UEFA Euro 2016. During Euro 2012, he played all three group-stage matches in the "Group of Death" and kept a clean sheet against Portugal. Although conceding goals to the Netherlands and Denmark, his performances helped Germany win all three group-stage matches.
| Birth Date: | 27 Mar, 1986 |
| Age: | 34 yrs |
| Occupations: | Association football player |
| Citizenship: | Germany |
| Birth Place: | Gelsenkirchen |
| residence: | Gelsenkirchen |
| Education: | Gesamtschule Berger Feld |
| Gender: | Male |
| Description: | German association football player |
| Twitter Id: | Manuel_Neuer |
| Net Worth 2021: | 40 million |
