Bayern Munich enjoyed a superb 2025/26 season, winning the domestic double by securing the Bundesliga and DFB Pokal, while also making it all the way to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, where they lost out to eventual winners PSG.
Looking for more success in the new campaign, the team is now at work at pre-season camp in Asia, visiting South Korea and Hong Kong for two friendly games.
In addition to all the action taking place on the pitch, superstar goalkeeper Manuel Neuer’s name has been grabbing the headlines for something that took place off the field.
In the buildup to Bayern’s most recent match against Aston Villa, which took place at the Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong, Neuer was all set to lead his team out of the tunnel as the captain. There was only one thing holding him up – a young local kid, who was his designated mascot for the evening, was too busy fiddling around with a gadget with kick-off fast approaching.
In tunnel-cam footage that has since gone viral on social media, Neuer is spotted patiently waiting and even letting the youngster know that it was time to head out. However, the kid remains engrossed in his own world, playing with the digital watch in his hand.
The goalkeeper soon takes matters into his own hands, quite literally, by yanking the kid slightly forcefully on the shoulder, jolting him into attention.
Neuer is so funny man, the kids reaction 😭😂 pic.twitter.com/en4jmL8Qeu
— M. Olise (@OliseM17) August 9, 2026
Understandably, the young mascot is slightly shocked by the sudden pull, and he remains frozen in place for a few minutes, before comically returning to reality and running back to Manuel Neuer’s side.
Neuer’s actions in the clip went on to become a major talking point amongst fans online. Some were of the opinion that it was just a harmless bit of fun and banter, and many compared his reaction to that of a stereotypical dad or uncle who had lost patience with a mischievous young kid.
“Yeah he clocked that kid like a veteran whos done the same sidestep a thousand times. no hesitation just pure dad autopilot. mans got the reflexes of someone whos survived actual tantrums,” a fan wrote.
“The most awkwardly hilarious interaction ever! Looks like an uncle forced to babysit for the day,” another supporter commented.
“See the way he drag this child’s shirt 😂😂😂 He was like let’s go i can’t stay here all day,” another fan joked.
Others, meanwhile, felt like the goalkeeper crossed the line by being a bit too heavy handed with the child.
“What the heck. Why he grab the kid like that,” a fan replied.
“The fact he’s a father himself makes this so much worse…some ppl genuinely shouldn’t raise children cuz what is this?” another supporter posted.
“If he cannot even behave properly to a kid imagine how violent he must be to other people,” another fan shared.
With this being such a subjective topic, debate amongst fans is bound to happen. What matters most in the end is that the kid appeared to take the moment in his stride, and he even showed some affection towards Manuel Neuer right at the end of the video, waving in the shot-stopper’s direction with a smile on his face.
