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While others, like France’s Hugo Lloris, play in a similar way, Neuer is the first to showcase this modern style with such a game-changing performance and he did it on the grandest stage of all too.
Time and again he made up for his center-halves’ sluggishness, regularly sniffing out attacks with breath-taking bursts from his goal line.But the numbers only tell half the story; just to witness his sheer athleticism and supreme poise was an experience in itself.
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In the early stages of the match, a long punt down the left flank by Algeria saw Per Mertesacker caught out badly. Islam Slimani looked to be bearing down on goal, before the Bayern goalkeeper came roaring out – about 25 metres from the safety of his line – to chase the striker out wide and away from his goal, before lunging to block Slimani’s attempted shot. It would have been an accomplished play for a right back. For a keeper it was astounding. Then on 71 minutes, center-half Jérôme Boateng found himself losing a foot-race with the tormenter-in-chief, Slimani, only for Neuer to race out and head it clear.
In the early stages of the match, a long punt down the left flank by Algeria saw Per Mertesacker caught out badly. Islam Slimani looked to be bearing down on goal, before the Bayern goalkeeper came roaring out – about 25 metres from the safety of his line – to chase the striker out wide and away from his goal, before lunging to block Slimani’s attempted shot. It would have been an accomplished play for a right back. For a keeper it was astounding. Then on 71 minutes, center-half Jérôme Boateng found himself losing a foot-race with the tormenter-in-chief, Slimani, only for Neuer to race out and head it clear.