Former Germany coach Rudi Völler (2000-2004), vice-world champion in 2002, will become sports director of the Nationalmannschaft from February 1 to replace Oliver Bierhoff, on the proposal of a group of former international, announced the German Federation (DFB) on Thursday.
After the fiasco of Germany’s elimination in the first round of the World Cup in Qatar, the second consecutive humiliation after the 2018 World Cup in Russia ended at the same stage, the DFB has put together a group of five former internationals, including Rudi Völler, to support the recovery of the Mannschaft. This group proposed Thursday the name of Rudi Völler to succeed Oliver Bierhoff, who resigned from his functions at the beginning of December, after 18 years spent in the German staff.
Rudi Völler spent four years at the head of the German selection from 2000 to 2004, knowing the intoxication of a World Cup final in South Korea and Japan in 2002 lost against Brazil and elimination from the phase of Euro 2004 groups in Portugal. In his playing career, he was world champion in 1990 with Germany and retired from international duty in 1994 after the World Cup in the United States. Völler has set itself the primary objective of “lay the foundations for a successful Euro-2024 at home and supported by all of Germany“, he explained, quoted in the DFB press release.
«In his own way and with his successes as a player, coach and manager, he managed to enthuse the fans. My staff and I are looking forward to our journey to the Euros at home next year.“Reacted coach Hansi Flick, kept in office after the Qatari fiasco. Germany remains on three failed major tournaments, eliminated in the 1st round in 2018 and 2022 at the World Cup and in the round of 16 of Euro-2020 a year and a half ago. It will host Euro-2024 in 18 months, 18 years after having organized the World Cup-2006 finished in third place.