Rumors about Vancouver pro
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Julian Nagelsmann believes Thomas Müller can have a career as a coach, but the national coach does not see his ex-player as his assistant at the 2026 World Cup in his new adopted home of North America – if only for formal reasons. “Thomas is definitely a candidate who could hold such a position,” said Nagelsmann before the national team’s World Cup qualifier against Luxembourg on Friday evening (8:45 p.m.) in Sinsheim.
But: “As you know, he has a contract until the winter of 2026 and will start training again on June 28th. The coach won’t be so enthusiastic if Thomas says he’ll come three weeks later because he wants to be an assistant coach,” Nagelsmann justified his opinion with Müller’s role as a leading figure at the MLS club Vancouver Whitecaps. Nagelsmann had trained Müller both during his time at FC Bayern and until his resignation from the national team after the home European Championships in 2024. After Müller’s move to Canada, Nagelsmann also kept in touch and reported that the 2014 world champion was very happy in his new adopted home.
“I spoke to him. He thinks it’s very, very good in Vancouver right now, he’s also playing well. He scores goals, has a lot of assists. He’s trying to advance football there and I think he wants to do that beyond the World Cup,” said Nagelsmann. The national coach therefore ruled out the 36-year-old’s involvement as a coach at the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada. “That’s why, I’m going out on a limb, he won’t be taking on a position as an assistant coach for me or any other coach this summer,” said Nagelsmann. His coaching team includes several helpers: Benjamin Hübner, Benjamin Glück, goalkeeper coach Andreas Kronenberg and standard trainer Mads Buttgereit.
Müller as a coach? “He has what it takes”
However, the 38-year-old has no doubts about Müller’s qualifications. “He has what it takes to be a head coach, but I don’t know if he wants that. He also has what it takes to be an assistant coach. I don’t know if he perceives it that way,” said Nagelsmann and concluded his remarks about possible DFB assistant Müller: “But what isn’t happening now can always happen in the future.” Müller fired people up on Instagram with a post with the line “Big news coming up!” and the Hastag “Summer2026”, however, the rumors.
Here Transfermarkt explains the mode of World Cup qualification in Europe and the path to the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the USA.