Manuel Neuer, Germany's Captain Fantastic, returned to competitive football on Sunday on the biggest stage of all after a nine-month absence but his comeback ended in intense frustration as the world champions lost 1-0 to Mexico.
The giant Bayern stopper has been sidelined since fracturing a bone in his left foot last September in a recurrence of an injury he suffered earlier in 2017. Neuer's return to the national side was carefully stage-managed - two games were set up behind closed doors just to give him match practice - and it was no surprise when he was announced as the number one for Russia.
Wearing a blue jersey, with a bright green captain's armband, Neuer led his team out onto the pitch in front of 80,000 people at the Luzhniki Stadium, hugging his defenders before clapping the massed ranks of flag-waving German fans behind the goal. The 32-year-old was first called into action in the second minute, pouncing to smother the ball after it was whipped into the box from a Mexican corner.
Moments later he was up towards the half-way line, launching an attack before making a couple of comfortable saves as Mexico probed. Mexico looked the more creative and dangerous team throughout the first period and finally made their superiority count in the 35th minute when Hirving Lozano drove into the area, checked and beat Neuer at his near post.
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