German Football Federation (DFB) managing director Andreas Rettig has welcomed coach Julian Nagelsmann's unconditional backing of goalkeeper Manuel Neuer despite some recent mistakes.
Nagelsmann had named Neuer first choice for Euro 2024 and continues to have full faith in the former World Cup winner although he helped Greece score in Friday's friendly international Germany went on to win 2-1.
Bayern Munich's Neuer had also not always looked good in previous games which sparked a public debate, even more because Germany have a top back-up inn Barcelona's Marc Andre ter Stegen.
Rettig said on Sport1 TV on Sunday that Nagelsmann has taken the right approach on the issue, on and off the pitch.
"He's in such good shape that he's rightly number one, at least for all of us," Rettig said of Neuer.
"Everyone is looking up to him, and not just because of his height, so he has a part in this that cannot be estimated high enough."
Rettig said Nagelsmann's support and clarity on the issue "is a good and right way not to start a debate. Otherwise we have a discussion days before [the Euros] who is number one and two."
Hosts Germany open the Euros on Friday against Scotland, with Hungary and Switzerland the other group stage opponents.
Christoph Kramer, who together with Neuer won the 2014 World Cup, also criticised the debate, naming it "nonsense" on ZDF TV.
"If he misses once, there's a very high probability that he won't do it a second time within a very short space of time," Kramer said.
"We don't have to talk about ter Stegen being a world-class goalkeeper, there are no two opinions. But we also don't have to talk about the fact either that Manuel Neuer is a world-class goalkeeper."
