"I can't just evaporate" – Neuer's frosty interaction with reporter after Ecuador game

The German national team shot-stopper became rather frustrated by the journalist's probing questions regarding the goal.

Photo: Buda Mendes/Getty Images.

Manuel Neuer feels he was not at fault for the second goal scored by Ecuador in their 2-1 win over Germany in Group E yesterday – the winning goal scored by Gonzalo Plata.

“It’s a perfectly normal headed flick-on, and I'm just trying to catch the ball. It's a completely normal situation,” Neuer informed the reporter who posed the question.

"Any goalkeeper who has ever played the game knows that I have to position myself like that for the ball, and that I have to try and catch it exactly like that.

“There’s a header, and you try to get to the ball. Of course, it looks unfortunate because I’m standing right there, but it wasn't a mistake on my part,” he added.

Not satisfied with the veteran German international's answer, the reporter doubled down and told Neuer that his response to prevent the goal "just looked unusual.”

“Well, how else am I supposed to stand there? Am I supposed to dive even though the ball is coming straight at me? I have to move towards the ball and try to catch it.

“If someone puts a foot in and it flies past me, then it flies past me. But I have to position myself like that. There’s no other option. I can't just evaporate,” Neuer snapped back.