The wife of Manuel Neuer, Anika, has made the decision to take a break of professional handball at the end of the season.
Anika, 24, has leveled its trade as a left wing for ESV 1927 Regensburg, which are in the second level of women's handball in the country.
After grew up with a strong passion for the sport, many fans will be surprised that she has chosen to walk away, at least temporarily, later this year.
She confirmed the news in a statement and said: 'The decision was very difficult for me. I really love the team and I really enjoy playing with the girls.
“I don't see the break as the end of my handball career; I just want to have more time for my son.
“I will miss the girls and handball a lot, so I mainly want to enjoy the last games and finish our great season in the best possible way.”
In the meantime, her coach, Bernhard Goldbach, said: 'It is just impressive what Ani has achieved this season on and next to the field.
'She came back from maternity leave stronger than ever and played in all her season matches. We can only do our hat for that. '
Anika has a strong upbringing around the sport, where her father is the chairman of the HC Erlangen Supervision Council – one of the local clubs.
Anika and Manuel – who has been senior for 15 years up to his wife – made the decision in November 2023 and had welcomed the birth of their son Luca in March last year.
The ceremony was carried out in secret and an official announcement was never made, but Anika quickly changed her last name to 'Neuer' on social media.
Although she has made the decision to run away from the sport because of their son, her husband will continue to play for Bayern Munich.
However, the German keeper was sidelined with injury after he had injured himself while during their 3-0 win over Rivals Bayer Leverkusen in March.
Neuer seemed to injure his calf while he celebrated the goal of Jamal Musiala in the night and was withdrawn after 58 minutes.
Neuer recently signed a one -year contract extension with Bayern Munich who will keep him in the club until the summer of 2026 and brought him to his forty.
The relationship between the handball player and the keeper of Bayern Munich and the team captain has called a lot of controversy.
Not only because of the 15 age gap, but also because Neuer left his three-year-old wife, Nina Weiss, for Anika.
In 2019, Weiss discovered that her husband had had an affair with a 19-year-old student in the fashion business in Munich, who is also a handball sensation.
Weiss, who has a striking parable with her ex-husband's new partner, ended her two-year marriage with the football player and left their house in Munich for Berlin.
Allegedly the couple met at the airport when they took a photo together and a romance flourished from that moment.