EURO 2024
How many penalties has Manuel Neuer stopped? Germany’s goalkeeper’s percentage
The German and Bayern Munich goalkeeper’s ability in shootouts could decide the future of his team as they strive for the Euro 2024 title.
The quarterfinals of the 2024 European Championships are upon us. Of the eight teams remaining, only one will achieve glory by being crowned the top European nation, and two of the most impressive teams we’ve seen thus far go up against each other: Spain vs Germany.
A key factor for advancing in the knockout phase is having a strong goalkeeper, as it would not be surprising to see several penalty shootouts. Notably, the last European Championship won by Italy was decided from the penalty spot, reminding us that the skill of goalkeepers can have a significant influence.
Manuel Neuer, Germany’s goalkeeper
Host nation Germany boast a world-class goalkeeper in their ranks. We’re talking about Manuel Neuer, who at 38 years old, has had another great season with Bayern Munich, playing in 33 matches. Neuer made his national team debut back in 2009 and has since accumulated 123 caps.
Penalties saved by Neuer
While perhaps not his strongest attribute, Neuer is proficient at saving penalties. The Bayern legend has a commendable record in this regard, having stopped 17 penalties during regular minutes of play throughout his extensive career. The last time he stopped a penalty was in January of this year, saving a shot from Sven Michel in a match that Bayern won against Augsburg.
According to Transfermarkt data, he has faced 58 penalties, giving him a save percentage of 22.67% by stopping 17 out of 75 attempts.
| Penalty shootout game | Opponent | Penalties faced | Penalties saved |
|---|---|---|---|
| German Cup 2007-08 | VfL Wolfsburg | 5 | 0 |
| Champions League 2007-08 | Porto | 3 | 2 |
| German Cup 2011-12 | B. Mönchengladbach | 4 | 1 |
| Champions League 2011-12 | Real Madrid | 4 | 2 |
| Champions League 2011-12 | Chelsea | 5 | 1 |
| European Super Cup 2013 | Chelsea | 5 | 1 |
| German Cup 2014-15 | Bayer Leverkusen | 4 | 1 |
| German Cup 2014-15 | Dortmund | 3 | 1 |
| German Super Cup 2015-16 | VfL Wolfsburg | 5 | 0 |
| German Cup 2015-16 | Dortmund | 5 | 1 |
| Euro 2016 | Italy | 9 | 2 |
| German Cup 2020-21 | Holstein Kiel | 6 | 0 |
Neuer in penalty shootouts
Neuer is also effective in penalty shootouts. Memorably, during the 2011/12 Champions League semi-final between Bayern and Real Madrid, he saved penalties from Kaká and Cristiano Ronaldo. His last shootout was in 2021, in the German Cup round of 16 match against Holstein Kiel, where he did not save any of the 6 penalties he faced.