Germany Announce New Head Coach

Germany on Friday named Julian Nagelsmann as their head coach to replace the sacked Hansi Flick, just nine months before hosting the European Championship, the German football association (DFB) announced.

The former Bayern Munich boss has signed a deal until the end of next July, allowing the 36-year-old to leave after Euro 2024.

“We have a European Championship in our own country — that’s something special,” Nagelsmann said in a statement released Friday.

I have a great desire to take on this challenge.”

DFB president Bernd Neuendorf called Nagelsmann “an outstanding coach” and said: “We are convinced (he) will ensure that the national team inspires its fans and that the Euros are also a sporting success.”

Flick became the first coach in Germany history to be fired when he received his marching orders earlier this month.

He had won just four of 17 matches leading up to his dismissal and took the team to a disappointing group-stage exit at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Flick was sacked after a humiliating 4-1 friendly loss to Japan in Wolfsburg in early September.

Nagelsmann, who also succeeded Flick as Bayern coach, has been jobless since he was sacked by the German champions in March.

Nagelsmann was seen as a rising star after impressive spells at Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig.

Nagelsmann was mentioned as a possible candidate for a number of top club vacancies over the summer, being linked with English sides Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, as well as Paris Saint-Germain.

DFB sporting director Rudi Voeller took the reins on a “one-off” basis for Germany’s 2-1 win over France in Dortmund, but said his main task was to find a permanent successor.

Nagelsmann said the victory over France was “the beginning” of the team’s journey to Euro 2024.