Manuel Neuer Biography
Manuel Neuer is the number one goalkeeper on Germany's national team and is one of the best goalkeepers in the world. This biography tells the story of a goalkeeper who has the potential to become the best goalkeeper in the history of German soccer.
Childhood
Manuel Neuer was born on March 27, 1986 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. At the age of 5 Neuer became a paying member of German Bundesliga team Schalke 04. However he was not just a great fan, he was also offered to play soccer as a goalkeeper on their youth team.
Neuer became quickly exhausted by trying to keep up his studies and his club soccer. Nevertheless, thanks to a cooperation between his school and Schalke 04, Manuel managed to focus on both his career and his studies, and he graduated in 2006.
Schalke 04
Neuer played on every youth team of Schalke 04. In 2005 Schalke offered him his first professional contract. His dream to play on a professional level for the team he loves finally came true on August 19, 2006 against Aachen, because his competitor Frank Rost was down with an injury.
Due to differences between Rost and the coach, Mirko Slomka, Rost left Schalke 04, and Manuel Neuer became the new number one goalkeeper. His performances were really good, and he was awarded best goalkeeper of the Bundesliga in the 2006/07 season.
After several great years and great performances in the Bundesliga as well as in the UEFA Champions league, he became more and more attractive for other teams, but he always declined all offers.
In 2010 Neuer was expected to be the back-up goalkeeper to Rene Adler for Germany in the FIFA World Cup. However, Adler got injured, and Neuer was the new number one goalkeeper. He played a fantastic tournament and led Germany to third place in the tournament.
After the tournament he declined offers from Manchester United and other big European teams, always saying he loved Schalke 04 too much. Despite this, in 2011 he decided not to extend his contract with Schalke. With tears in his eyes he explained his decision to the public. A short time later the news came out that Neuer would join Bayern Munich for the 2011/12 season for a $25 million fee.
Bayern Munich
Photo used with permission
Manuel Neuer then signed a 5-year contract with Bayern Munich. Neither fans of Schalke nor fans of Bayern could understand this transfer as their teams are great rivals.
In his first game for Munich against Gladbach, he was the cause of the only goal in Munich's 0-1 loss. Neuer was booed in the following games for his new club. Happily, his performances greatly increased from there, and most fans accepted him and supported him as much as any other player.
He led Bayern to the final of the German Cup and the final of the Champions League. He even scored a penalty in the final of the Champions League in May 2012.
