German national team: DFB extends contract with sports director Rudi Völler until the 2026 World Cup

The German Football Association has extended its contract with sports director Rudi Völler. The 63-year-old will therefore continue to work in this role with the men’s team beyond the home European Championships in the summer. As the association announced, Völler’s contract was extended early until the 2026 World Cup.

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“Rudi Völler, with all his experience, is an important contact and advisor for me and also for the coaches and players,” said DFB President Bernd Neuendorf. It is also thanks to Völler that enthusiasm for the national team is now emerging again after difficult years. “He has a positive influence on the national team.”

Völler himself said about the extension: “In the past 14 months of my work, I have noticed that the responsible task at the DFB has grown more and more close to my heart every day.” His work as a sports director has now become a “personal concern” for him. He wants to use his experience to help make the men’s national team successful again beyond the 2024 European Championship at home.

Nagelsmann should also stay with the DFB

If possible, the DFB would like to agree on a contract extension with national coach Julian Nagelsmann before the start of the European Championship on June 14th. The obligation expires after the end of the tournament. The national team’s recovery is also thanks to the “outstanding work of Julian Nagelsmann and his team,” said Neuendorf.

Nagelsmann took over the position from Hansi Flick last September, and Völler was largely responsible for the change.

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Völler has been DFB sports director since February 2023. After the national team was eliminated in the group phase of the 2022 World Cup, the DFB fired national team director Oliver Bierhoff and appointed Völler as interim sports director. Völler was previously part of the management of Bayer Leverkusen until 2022.

© ZEIT ONLINE

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As a national player and team manager of the national team, Völler was active for the DFB from 2000 to 2004.

The German Football Association has extended its contract with sports director Rudi Völler. The 63-year-old will therefore continue to work in this role with the men’s team beyond the home European Championships in the summer. As the association announced, Völler’s contract was extended early until the 2026 World Cup.

“Rudi Völler, with all his experience, is an important contact and advisor for me and also for the coaches and players,” said DFB President Bernd Neuendorf. It is also thanks to Völler that enthusiasm for the national team is now emerging again after difficult years. “He has a positive influence on the national team.”