Jürgen Klopp Unveiled as DFB Coach: Mertesacker to Follow

The corridors at the DFB are anything but quiet today. Jürgen Klopp is set to be unveiled as the new national team coach – a seismic move on its own – yet the federation is preparing a second major announcement that reaches deep into its sporting structure.

According to consistent reports from Sky and RTL, Per Mertesacker is poised to join the DFB as managing director for sport, succeeding Andreas Rettig. The deal is expected to be sealed today, turning a symbolic page for German football.

The timing is striking. On the day Klopp steps into the spotlight as Bundestrainer, the DFB is also moving to lock in its long-term sporting leadership. Mertesacker, a 2014 World Cup winner and respected figure from his time with the national team and at Arsenal, is reportedly set to begin his role in January 2027. His contract is expected to run through the 2030 World Cup, a clear indication that the federation is planning in World Cup cycles, not short-term fixes.

The personnel decision is also slated to be communicated today, even if the man himself will not be in Frankfurt for the occasion. No grand stage, no joint photo with Klopp – at least not yet. But the message is unmistakable: the DFB is trying to align the bench and the boardroom in one coordinated move.

A charismatic coach on the touchline. A World Cup-winning organiser in the executive suite. The signatures may dry quickly, but the impact of this double decision will be felt all the way to 2030.