Germany's Goalkeeper Dilemma: Who Will Replace Neuer?

When Jürgen Klopp steps in front of the cameras on 17 September to unveil his first Germany squad, one position will dominate every question and every headline: goalkeeper.

Manuel Neuer is gone. Julian Nagelsmann is gone. The era that defined a generation of German goalkeeping has closed. Now someone has to wear the No. 1 shirt – and keep it.

For Thomas Helmer, European champion in 1996 and long-time Bayern defender, one name stands out.

"Looking at it right now: Nübel, who is playing sensationally in Istanbul and simply has match practice, is certainly a candidate," he told Sport1.

Alexander Nübel has turned his move from Bayern Munich to Besiktas into a personal relaunch. Six clean sheets in his first nine competitive matches – those are the kind of numbers that grab the attention of a new national coach. He is playing every week, under pressure, in a demanding environment. Helmer likes that.

Yet even he refuses to call the race. He still describes it as a "big question" who will ultimately follow Neuer as Germany’s undisputed first choice.

Neuer had briefly reclaimed that status for the 2026 World Cup push, edging out Oliver Baumann after his comeback. That chapter is now closed; the Bayern legend has retired for good. The vacuum he leaves is not just about shot-stopping. It is about presence, hierarchy, authority in the dressing room.

Plenty of experts have been quick to promote the next Bayern project: Jonas Urbig. The young keeper travelled to the World Cup as a training goalkeeper, working day in, day out with Neuer, Baumann and Nübel, but never making the official tournament squad. Inside the German setup, he is seen as a long-term option.

Helmer is not convinced that "long-term" should suddenly mean "immediately."

"The question is how much playing time he will really get under Vincent Kompany," he said. One appearance so far – a single cup tie against Osnabrück – is not the platform Helmer believes a Germany No. 1 can stand on. "Just one cup game against Osnabrück for now – and I don't mean that disrespectfully at all – certainly won't be enough."

At Bayern, the line is clear: Urbig will get his minutes behind first-choice goalkeeper Neuer. Carefully managed, gradually introduced, groomed for the future. For Helmer, that plan clashes head-on with the demands of the national team.

"In the goalkeeping position, you need someone who plays all the time," he insisted.

That is where Nübel’s case grows stronger. Regular football in Istanbul, strong early-season form, and the feeling of a keeper who has finally stepped out of Neuer’s shadow. The door may also be creaking open again for Marc-André ter Stegen, who has long hovered on the edge of a full DFB resurgence.

Klopp will have to decide what matters more: raw potential waiting for its chance, or a goalkeeper already hardened by weekly battles. On 17 September, Germany will find out which path he trusts.