Legendary German goalkeeper Sepp Maier shared his thoughts on the national team's goalkeeper position, saying that Stuttgart’s Alexander Nübel, on loan from Bayern Munich, is "the best option." Speaking after receiving the Bavarian Sports Award, Maier pointed out that "most of Bayern's goalkeepers were also national team goalkeepers," and that Nübel, who he said will "join Bayern after Manuel Neuer," is "the number one."

When asked about Marc-André ter Stegen's injury, which put him in line to be the starting keeper after Neuer's international retirement, Maier called it "just bad luck" and recalled a similar situation that led to Neuer becoming the main man for Germany.

"I still remember when René Adler got injured before the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and then the young Neuer stepped up. From that moment on, he became world-class. If Adler hadn’t been injured, Neuer might not have played. These are the kind of chances you have to take when someone gets hurt. As things stand, Nübel is number one for me, and when Ter Stegen returns, there’ll be a showdown between them," Maier explained.

Maier also emphasized that when it comes to goalkeepers, "the most important position," in his opinion, should be decided "at least six months in advance" of a major tournament. "That way, there’s no back-and-forth, like before the 2006 World Cup with Kahn and Lehmann," he said, adding that "it causes tension within the team and isn’t good."