Nagelsmann confirms Neuers World Cup comeback against Curaçao – Brown starts as full-back

Opponent Curaçao: Caribbean side as underdogs

The match takes place at 7:00 p.m. local time at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. The stadium is covered and air-conditioned. In Germany, the game will be broadcast live on ARD and MagentaTV. Nagelsmann named "the first three points" as the goal for his first World Cup match as national team coach.

Alongside Neuer, another player is on the verge of a personal milestone: Nathaniel Brown of Eintracht Frankfurt, who will start at left-back in the lineup two days before his 23rd birthday. Nagelsmann said: "Er wird spielen und in dem schönen Stadion beginnen." Brown is one of several tournament newcomers in the German squad.

Musiala on the way back

Not all key players are in top form, however. About Jamal Musiala, who has returned from a serious leg injury, Nagelsmann said the Bayern star "noch ein paar Schritte zu gehen habe". At the same time, the national team coach made clear: "Aber die kann er nur gehen, wenn wir ihn spielen lassen. Wir vertrauen ihm total."

Record international Lothar Matthäus had previously said: "wir brauchen Jamal, um eine richtig gute WM zu spielen." Nagelsmann agreed with this assessment. The national team coach also announced that all 26 squad members are healthy and available for selection.

Outlook: Ivory Coast and Ecuador await

Germany's other group opponents at the World Cup are the Ivory Coast and Ecuador. Against Curaçao, the DFB team's task on Saturday evening is first and foremost to start the tournament with a win and to build confidence for the challenges ahead.

For Neuer, the match is another chapter in an extraordinary career. At 40 years old and following an injury break, the goalkeeper is facing his fifth World Cup tournament – and could set a new record in the history books of German football if he progresses further in the tournament.