FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has been named captain of the national team, replacing the retired Bastian Schweinsteiger.
Germany coach Joachim Loew announced his decision Thursday, one day after Schweinsteiger played his last match in a 2-0 friendly win over Finland.
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Neuer, a 30-year-old Bayern Munich goalkeeper, made his Germany debut in June 2009 and won the World Cup in 2014 in Brazil. He has made 71 national team appearances and was FIFA’s goalkeeper of the year the last three seasons.
Loew says Neuer is “the logical successor” to Schweinsteiger and brings “everything I can wish for in a leader.”
Neuer says he is honored to be captain and aware of the symbolic meaning of the role.