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Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer holds up a porcelain cockatoo after winning the German DFB Cup Final against VfB Stuttgart at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin. Soeren Stache/dpa
Manuel Neuer was fit enough for a little jig as he celebrated Bayern Munich's latest German Cup win with his team-mates but the goalkeeper will not be rushed back into action when Germany start their final World Cup preparations on Wednesday.
Neuer, 40, came out of international retirement as he was nominated into the German squad for the June 11-July 19 tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The 2014 World Cup winner is currently sidelined for a third time this year with a calf muscle problem. He watched Bayern's 3-0 win over VfB Stuttgart in the Cup final from the stands but hopped and danced with his deputy Jonas Urbig and the rest of the team after the final whsitle.
"It is definitely enough for this, for celebrating," Neuer told broadcasters ARD, saying he is "on a good path" in his recovery.
Germany start World Cup preparations on Wednesday in Herzogenaurach, and coach Julian Nagelsmann said it was good that Neuer didn't play on Saturday.
"We talked a lot over the week, with the doctor as well. We are in a good exchange with Bayern Munich. It was a joint decision how much risk you take before such a tournament. If he had played there could have been a risk that it doesn't heal the way it heals now," he said.
Neuer is not expected to join full team training with the national team immediately and also unlikely to feature in the penultimate tune-up against Finland on May 31.
Germany leave for the US two days later and play a final warm-up game on June 6 against the US before starting the World Cup on June 14 against debutants Curacao.
It is not the first time Neuer arrives at a World Cup in such a way. In 2014 he suffered a shoulder injury in the Cup final and only resumed training when the team arrived in Berlin. He played in Russia four years later after many months on the injury sidelines.
Bayern midfielder Leon Goretzka said that the return of Neuer is highly valuable for the squad because he is someone "you can rely on in high-pressure situations, who can give us a lot of support.
“He’s already achieved the big one and been through it all. He’ll certainly take one or two of us under his wing and have a chat,” Goretzka said.
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