Manuel Neuer plays 30 minutes in 7-1 rout of Germany U-20 team

The prospects that Manuel Neuer will play for Germany in the 2018 World Cup continue to trend upward: today, the DFB announced that Neuer had participated in a closed match between the German national team and Germany’s U-20 team. Both Neuer and 2nd keeper Marc-André Ter Stegen put in half-an-hour shifts in goal in a 7-1 Brazilian-style thumping the national team inflicted on the junior players over the course of an hour.

Ter Stegen started and Neuer came on after the first half hour. According to Welt, he made a good impression and played without any problems at all. Neuer said,

My fitness level is good. I think the coaches are satisfied, and the fitness coaches, too. They've gotten me into a very good condition.

Head coach Jogi Löw repeatedly interrupted the match to give tactical instructions. The junior players played in different tactical formations so as to imitate those used by Germany's upcoming opponents at the World Cup: Sweden, Mexico, and South Korea.

Two Bayern players were among those who scored the team's seven goals: Julian Brandt, Leon Goretzka, Joshua Kimmich, Nils Petersen, Mario Gomez and Leroy Sane with a brace. It is not known who scored the lone goal for the juniors, or against which goalkeeper.