Rudi Voller to become Germany team’s sporting director

Former German striker and manager Rudi Voller is the new sporting director of the men’s national team, the German football association announced on Thursday.

On Friday, Federation President Bernd Neuendorf and Vice President Hans-Joachim Watzke will introduce Voller as a replacement for Oliver Bierhoff.

He will officially take over on February 1.

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Bierhoff was the first – and so far only – victim of Germany’s early exit from the World Cup in Qatar after agreeing last month to step down after 18 years in senior roles with the federation . By the time he finished, Bierhoff had overseen all of the country’s national football teams and its academy.

German coach Hansi Flick remains, tasked with winning the fans back in time for Germany’s 2024 European Championship.

“Rudi is a solid part of German football,” Flick said. “He has delighted the fans as a player, coach and manager. Due to his experience with the national team and his many years working with Bayer Leverkusen, he is the right person for the tasks ahead.”

Voller, whose goals helped West Germany win the World Cup in 1990, played 90 times for the national team between 1982 and 1994. He coached from 2000 to 2004 and helped the Germany to qualify for the 2002 World Cup final.

“The first thing we have to do is lay the foundations, with the support of all of Germany, for a successful European Championship at home,” Voller said. “We have the players for this. From these many top players, we now want to form a tight-knit unit again, a willing and sympathetic national team with the clear objective of winning back the unreserved support of the fans.”

Voller, who also has managerial experience as sporting director of Bayer Leverkusen, was the recommended choice of the task force appointed by Neuendorf and Watzke consisting of Voller himself, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Oliver Kahn, Matthias Sammer and Oliver Mintzlaff. Their proposal was approved by the federation committee.

“In Rudi Voller we have found the perfect person for the next 20 months,” Neuendorf said. “Voller is one of the greats of German football. I’m looking forward to working together and I’m optimistic for Euro 2024.”