Julian Nagelsmann out as Germany coach: The downfall
As had been widely expected ever since Germany's shock exit to Paraguay at the 2026 World Cup, Julian Nagelsmann is no longer national team head
As had been widely expected ever since Germany's shock exit to Paraguay at the 2026 World Cup, Julian Nagelsmann is no longer national team head coach, the DFB (German Football Association) confirmed on Friday. The 38-year-old has resigned from the job three years after arriving and well before the end of his contract, which was to expire after the 2028 European Championship. The renewal of his deal in January 2025 forced the DFB into tricky negotiations, and led to a reported three-hour, secret meeting the day before the official announcement. "This decision was anything but easy for me," Nagelsmann said in a statement. "My top priority has always been the team's success. After such a bitter disappointment, the team deserves the chance for a fresh start without any baggage... A special thank you also goes to the fans. You carried us, you trusted us, and you gave us energy, even during difficult times. I am truly sorry and deeply saddened that we let you down and were unable to give you more nights of football excitement at this World Cup. You deserved so much more!" Nagelsmann's assistants Benjamin Glück and Benjamin Hübner have also left. The DFB also stated that they are entering talks with Jürgen Klopp for the vacant head coach position, indicating he has already shown a willingness to take up the role. Nagelsmann won 23 of his 37 games in charge of Germany, losing only eight times. Three of those defeats came against Spain, Portugal and France, but two also came at the 2026 World Cup against Ecuador and then Paraguay. His exit is yet another downturn in a coaching career that was once expected to reach the highest of heights.
Julian Nagelsmann (left) started youth coaching at Hoffenheim before taking the first-team job Image: Kai Schwörer/picture alliance Young coach makes Bundesliga history A decade ago, Julian Nagelsmann made his debut as Hoffenheim coach in a 1-1 draw with Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga. He was the face of Germany's new, young coaching generation. He took a side battling relegation right up the table. They beat Bayern Munich. Then came the Champions League. He told the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" that: "Thirty per cent of coaching is tactics, 70% social competence." He was deemed a coach ahead of his years,ahead of the times and one of the best coaches around. He then moved to RB Leipzig, where he became the youngest coach to win a Champions League game, and then the youngest to make a semifinal. A year later, he took RB Leipzig to the German Cup final but lost. Despite ending his two years in Leipzig without a trophy, Bayern Munich paid a reported €25 million for his services and offered him a five-year contract. He won the Bundesliga, but a shock loss to Villarreal in the Champions League hurt both the club and his reputation. The following year, it all unraveled for Nagelsmann. His firing of Bayern Munich's goalkeeper coach Toni Tapalovic caused a stir, with Manuel Neuer saying the dismissal was like "having his heart ripped out." According to a report by "The Athletic," Nagelsmann's training was seen as too complicated and he had struggled to truly connect with the players. In March 2023, while on a skiing holiday during the international break, Nagelsmann was sacked. He had spent just 20 months in the job. After seven full seasons of coaching in the Bundesliga, he was out of work and had just one Bundesliga title to his name.
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