Manuel Neuer, the goalkeeper for Bayern Munich, disclosed that he has had skin cancer on his face, which has necessitated three surgeries.
Reports from German media claimed that the shot-stopper would not miss the World Cup despite the malignancy. He is also working to become well after suffering a shoulder injury last month.
On Wednesday, Manuel Neuer shared on Instagram that he had skin cancer and had recently bought sunscreen with tennis player Angelique Kerber.
In the video, he said: “We both have a history of skin diseases. In my case, skin cancer on my face, which required three surgeries.”
“When it comes to sunscreen, we have therefore paid attention to maximum protection.”
“Since we train outside all the time and also like to spend our free time in nature, it is essential for us to start with modern sun protection filters and a sun protection factor of 50+.”
“So we know for sure that we have a sunscreen that protects us continuously and with which hardly anything can burn.”
In December 2021, before Bayern Munich’s Champions League match against Barcelona, the 36-year-old was seen walking around with a conspicuous plaster on his face, according to Bild. This sparked rumors about a potential sickness.
Neuer still has the facial scar from his three surgical procedures to treat the malignancy.
The German began the season by starting the first nine league games for Bayern Munich before developing a shoulder injury that has kept him sidelined since early October.
Prior to this month’s World Cup, Neuer is working to get back in shape, but it’s thought that his skin cancer will not limit his availability for Germany before Hansi Flick names the team.
Three-time Grand Slam champion Kerber has sun-induced hyperpigmentation, therefore she has experienced skin issues as well.
The easy-to-treat, lifelong ailment is brought on by sun exposure and manifests as brown, black, grey, red, or pink spots or patches on the skin.
The two primary types of skin cancer are melanoma and non-melanoma, with the latter being one of the most prevalent cancers globally.
The Robert Koch Institute estimates that 22,411 people in Germany, nearly evenly divided between men and women, have been diagnosed with a malignant melanoma of the skin.
According to data from the Federal Statistical Office, there were around 4,000 skin cancer fatalities nationwide in 2020.
With Bayern this summer, Neuer won his 10th Bundesliga trophy. During his 11 years at the club, he also won two Champions League titles.
The Bayern goalkeeper, who is regarded as one of the best of his generation, may be playing in his final big international competition in Qatar after serving as captain for Germany 113 times since making his senior debut in 2009.
This week, the goalkeeper returned to Bayern Munich’s practice in an effort to get back in shape before November 13, when Flick must submit his final 26-man Qatari squad.
Without Neuer, Germany still has plenty of goalkeeper choices, including Marc-Andre ter Stegen of Barcelona and Kevin Trapp of Eintracht Frankfurt, but the 2014 World Cup champions desire to have Neuer in the locker room.
Before the Bundesliga giants’ trip to Hertha Berlin on Saturday, Bayern Munich head coach Julian Nagelsmann gave the impression that Neuer might be back in the running.
“We hope he’ll be available again for the weekend,” he explained ahead of his side’s confident 2-0 victory against Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday.
“He came through training well and didn’t show any reaction. But we’ll have to wait and see.’ “
One of the top players in women’s tennis, Kerber is a three-time Grand Slam champion and past Wimbledon champion.
Prior to winning Wimbledon two years later, the German star won the US Open and Australian Open in 2016.
As a result of missing the US Open, Kerber announced in August that she was taking a vacation from tennis due to pregnancy.
Manuel Neuer
German goalkeeper Manuel Peter Neuer, born on March 27, 1986, is the captain of Bundesliga club Bayern Munich as well as the Germany national team.
He is recognized as one of the sport’s all-time great goalkeepers. Due to his play style and quickness when rushing off his line to anticipate opponents and leaving the goalie box, Neuer has been referred to as a “sweeper-keeper.”
From 2011 to 2020, IFFHS named him the best goalkeeper of the decade.
At Schalke 04, where he began his career, Neuer won the DFB-Pokal and DFL-Ligapokal.
He joined Bayern Munich in 2011 and has since won 28 trophies, including two UEFA Champions League crowns in 2013 and 2020 as part of trebles and ten Bundesliga wins.
In the FIFA Ballon d’Or vote in 2014, Neuer came in third place after Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
He received five IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper awards as well as five UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year awards.
