Julian Nagelsmann has been appointed as the new head coach of the German national football team, succeeding Hansi Flick, who was dismissed.
Nagelsmann's mission is to rejuvenate the struggling team within a nine-month timeframe, just ahead of their role as hosts for Euro 2024.
Hansi Flick's removal came as a result of Germany's national team's ongoing struggles, with concerns within the German Football Association (DFB) about the team's performance at the upcoming European championships, especially given that they will be hosting the tournament.
Nagelsmann, the former Bayern Munich manager, has inked a contract until the conclusion of Euro 2024, granting him the flexibility to potentially step down after the tournament. Expressing his enthusiasm for the challenge, Nagelsmann stated, "We have a European Championship in our own country—that's something special."
Flick, the first-ever coach in Germany's history to be dismissed, had managed to secure just four victories out of 17 matches leading up to his removal, which culminated in the national team's disappointing group-stage exit at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
DFB president Bernd Neuendorf praised Nagelsmann as "an outstanding coach" and expressed confidence that he would not only energise the fans but also lead the team to success in the Euros.
Flick's termination followed a humiliating 4-1 defeat to Japan in a friendly match held in Wolfsburg in early September.
Nagelsmann, who succeeded Flick as Bayern Munich coach, had been without a job since his dismissal by the German champions in March. Rudi Voeller, DFB's sporting director, lauded Nagelsmann as "an absolute football expert" who had proven himself at a remarkably young age as a head coach.
Nagelsmann's coaching staff will include Benjamin Glueck and Sandro Wagner as assistants.
Having achieved impressive results at Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig, Nagelsmann was regarded as a rising star in football coaching. Over the summer, his name was linked with top club vacancies, including those at English clubs Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, as well as Paris Saint-Germain.
While Voeller briefly took charge for Germany's 2-1 victory over France in Dortmund, he emphasised that his primary responsibility was to identify a permanent successor.
Nagelsmann views the victory over France as the initial step in the team's journey towards Euro 2024. Germany's next assignment involves a tour to the United States in October, with friendly matches scheduled against the USA and Mexico.
