Coach Frank Schmidt from Bundesliga soccer club 1. FC Heidenheim has been named Personality of the Year 2023 by “kicker”.
The 49-year-old soccer teacher succeeds national striker Alexandra Popp. In the election, Schmidt, who has been responsible for Heidenheim since 2007, beat out Germany’s Footballer of the Year Ilkay Gündogan, among others.
“This football teacher celebrated a sensational success by entering the Bundesliga and also continued to impress with his team in the second half of the year and convinced many doubters,” said the specialist magazine in its statement.
Schmidt took over 1. FC Heidenheim in 2007. He led the club from the Oberliga to the Bundesliga, where the team is playing a good role with 20 points from 16 games in its debut season.
Schmidt is the longest-serving coach in German professional football.