Now it’s official: The DFB has confirmed that Julian Nagelsmann will be the national team’s new national coach. He was “the dream coach,” said sports director Rudi Völler.
The responsible committees approved a corresponding resolution on Friday (September 22nd, 2023) at a meeting at the headquarters of the German Football Association in Frankfurt am Main. Nagelsmann was unanimously confirmed by the supervisory board and the shareholders’ meeting of DFB GmbH. DFB President Bernd Neuendorf and sports director Rudi Völler suggested him as the new man.
“Great pleasure, this one Challenge to accept”
“We have a European Championship in our own country. It’s something special – something that happens every few decades. I subordinate everything to the fact of having a great tournament in a great country. I’m very keen to take on this challenge.” said Nagelsmann in the statement.
Völler: “Our preferred candidate”
Völler praised the new national football coach Nagelsmann highly. “He is not only an absolute football expert, but has already proven in all his positions – at a very young age for a head coach – that he can motivate and inspire a team and the entire environment,” said Völler in the official press release German Football Association (DFB) on Friday. Nagelsmann was “our preferred candidate as national coach,” said Völler: “His fire for football is noticeable and contagious.” Völler (63) is convinced: “Julian Nagelsmann, with his qualities and personality, will make a decisive contribution to our success “We will all experience a great European Championship together in our own country in the summer.”
DFB President Bernd Neuendorf agreed: “Julian Nagelsmann is an outstanding coach who approaches his new task with the highest level of motivation.” He is convinced that Nagelsmann “will ensure that the national team inspires its fans and that the EURO is also a sporting success.”
Wagner and Glück become assistant coaches
As before, the 36-year-old Nagelsmann will be the successor to Hansi Flick at FC Bayern Munich, who was released on September 10th after a 4-1 defeat against Japan the evening before. After Hansi Flick’s retirement, Völler took over the national team for one game (2-1 against France).
Former national player Sandro Wagner (35) and his long-time confidant Benjamin Glück (37) will assist Nagelsmann as assistant coaches. Nagelsmann will make his debut on the US tour (starting October 9th). The DFB selection will face the USA on October 14th (9 p.m. CET/RTL) in Hartford and Mexico on October 18th (2 a.m. CET) in Philadelphia.
Youngest Bundesliga coach history
The solution that has now been found has been apparent for days. The DFB had already confirmed “good discussions” after an initial meeting on Tuesday. Nagelsmann was released from FC Bayern in March 2023 after the Munich team brought him from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2021 for a rumored fee of 25 million euros. His first coaching position in the Bundesliga was at TSG Hoffenheim. When he took over the team from Kraichgau, Nagelsmann became the youngest coach in Bundesliga history at the age of 28.