In training, Neuer sometimes plays in the outfield, splaying passes alongside Toni Kroos and Bastian Schweinsteiger, and it’s noticeable in his play as a self-styled offensive goalkeeper. With him in goal, long balls-that classic resort of teams short on ideas-become futile, and teams must either keep pinging the ball forward in vain, or try to find a way through Germany’s similarly stymying midfield. Challenge after challenge, clearance after clearance, he charged out of the 18-yard box to take on oncoming attackers like an extra defender, using his head and his feet to clear the ball from danger. Neuer will never top Howard’s record of saving 15 shots in one match, but that’s because the German defense would never put him in a position where he must.īut when they do have a bad day, the Germans know they can rely on Neuer to sweep up behind them, as he did to such great effect against Algeria. So far, he’s made 24 saves and conceded four goals, while Howard, who played two fewer games, saved 27 shots and conceded six. It partly comes down to how good the German team is as a unit Neuer never puts in as dramatic performance because he doesn’t have to, not because he can’t. Basically, he’s so good that you forget that he is. His reactions are so controlled, his reading of the game so anticipatory, that the goal threat seems less dangerous. While the other keepers made seemingly superhuman saves, Neuer’s composure, vision, and positioning make it so that his saves, however difficult, are rarely dramatic. While the likes of Howard and Ochoa delivered outstanding performances that made them national heroes and Internet sensations, Neuer stands quietly a class above. But as FIFA officials cast their votes to decide who will take home the Golden Glove for best goalkeeping, they should look no further than Manuel Neuer, Germany’s sweeper-keeper. Tim Howard, secretary of defense against Belgium Guillermo Ochoa, who heroically denied Brazil in a draw that felt like a win Keylor Navas, who single-handedly kept Costa Rica on their historic run Tim Krul, who so cruelly ended the Costa Ricans' run with his mind games and intimidation techniques. This World Cup is on track to be the highest scoring on record, but it’s also been a World Cup of goalkeepers.
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