Rio world champion Shkodran Mustafi becomes the new assistant coach of the German U21 national team. The 33-year-old concludes the gap that veteran Hermann Gerland (71) left with the end of his coaching career. “My anticipation is huge,” said Mustafi, who ended his active career in the summer of 2024 and has been working as an assistant coach of the German U17 since then.
At the U21, the 2014 world champion completes the coaching team around chief coach Antonio di Salvo and assistant Ovid Hajou. For the first time he will sit on the bench in the international match in Albania on September 5, four days later in Rostock against Latvia the first qualification game for the EM 2027.
“Shkodran showed the U17 in his year what added value he can afford for the development of young players,” said DFB sports manager Andreas Rettig: “He is still very close to the everyday situation of the players and can bring important impulses to the coaching team through his profier experience in several countries and the national team.”
Mustafi’s parents belonged to the Albanian minority in northern Macedonia, and the upcoming European Championship will also take place in Albania and Serbia. “I would like to pass on my experiences and my knowledge to the young professionals on and next to the square and get involved in the coaching team of Toni di Salvo. At the same time, the new task offers me the opportunity to take the next step as a coach,” said the 20-time international.
Mustafi had gone through all the U15 as a player as a player, the 2014 World Cup title, the European Championship semi-final 2016 and the winning of the FIFA Confederation Cup 2017 were the highlights of his career in the DFB jersey. “After Hermann Germann’s departure, we deliberately chose a young coach,” said Di Salvo: “I am very pleased that with Shkodran not only a good type, but also a very successful ex-professional joins our coaching team, who is still very close to the players due to his age.”