00:03Manuel Neuer is a different breed of goalkeeper and while his unique and
00:09aggressive playing style could be interpreted as dangerous or risky it has
00:13led him to big things on football's greatest stage while he didn't invent the
00:19role of sweeper keeper Neuer certainly took it to a new level
00:25lightning quick for such an imposing physical figure almost daring opposition
00:30strikers to take him on as he takes risks to launch attack from defense the
00:35German international has made goalkeeping fashionable and in 2014 he made it the
00:42key to Germany's World Cup success for 20 years Neuer was entrenched at his home
00:50club Schalke where he started at age 5 he debuted in the Bundesliga in 2006 but
00:58was snatched by Bayern Munich in 2011 the team for which he really blossomed
01:06his Schalke fan base were not pleased when he announced he would be leaving and
01:11surprisingly nor were the fans of Bayern when word reached them that a rival
01:15player was entering their midst but they were silenced quickly by the match
01:20winning theatrics of their new stopper he won a string of Bundesliga titles two of
01:26them as part of a treble along with the DFB Pacal and Champions League in 2013 and
01:322020 Neuer named the world's best goalkeeper five times in that span but as good as Neuer has been for
01:42Bayern Munich over the journey it all seemed to lead to football's greatest stage in 2014
01:49Germany qualified with ease for the World Cup in Brazil and earn two wins from the group stage to
01:55progress to what would be a hard-fought knockout phase but that's when Neuer's aggressive midair
02:03acrobatics came to the fore holding off Algeria in a tense 2-1 extra time victory in the round of
02:1016
02:11the Germans got through against France 1-0 in the quarterfinals before an unprecedented 7-1
02:17route of host nation Brazil Neuer's heroics continued in the decider against Argentina
02:25making breakaway forays forcing countless errors from the opposition leaving the Argentinians remarkably
02:33without a shot on target before Mario Goetze scored the winner in extra time while Goetze got the glory for
02:43the match winner Neuer was hailed a Colossus he won the Golden Glove for the tournament's best goalkeeper
02:50but finished only third in the ensuing Ballon d'Or behind strikers Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi
02:57the 2014 Ballon d'Or sparked widespread condemnation of the voting system German legend Franz Beckenbauer just
03:06one of many to label Neuer's lack of recognition unjust but while Manuel Neuer didn't win football's
03:14greatest individual prize his feats on football's greatest stage in 2014 will be cherished forever
03:21forever
