Manuel Neuer urges Germany to secure early World Cup knockout spot
Manuel Neuer has urged Germany to secure their place in the World Cup knockout stages with a game to spare when they face Ivory Coast on Saturday.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side started their Group E campaign with a commanding 7-1 victory over Curacao in Houston.
They now sit level on points with their upcoming opponents, who defeated Ecuador in their opening fixture.
The four-time world champions suffered humiliating group-stage exits in the previous two tournaments.
The veteran goalkeeper is determined to prevent a third consecutive early departure from football’s biggest stage.
Focus firmly on Ivory Coast
A victory in Toronto would guarantee progression to the last 32 before their final group match.
“That’s our aim, and it’s all in our own hands,” said the Bayern Munich stopper.
“We made a good start and we don’t want to look back at previous tournaments.”
Speculation is already mounting about a potential knockout clash with France.
However, the 38-year-old insists the squad is not looking past their imminent African opposition.
“We’ll be facing a very strong side in Toronto, but we’re really well prepared,” he added.
“There’s already a lot of talk about France, but we’re not looking at that. We just want to focus on the next game.”
Napoli president tracks Belgian duo
Elsewhere at the tournament, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is set to attend Belgium’s match against Iran.
The Italian executive will be monitoring Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne amid uncertainty over their club futures in Naples.
The towering striker managed just 64 minutes of domestic action last season due to injury and faced disciplinary action in March.
Meanwhile, his midfield compatriot recently expressed relief over the departure of former Napoli manager Antonio Conte, citing overly defensive tactics.
De Laurentiis recently addressed both players’ comments during a press conference.
“We’ll see what the new coach thinks of it. If someone has to leave, they will leave,”
Aurelio De Laurentiis
Belgium recently secured a point against Egypt following a late own goal forced by a substitute appearance from their physical centre-forward.
