Background and career
Julian Nagelsmann (born 23 July 1987) is a German professional football coach who was most recently the manager of the Germany national team. He previously managed TSG Hoffenheim, RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga. Born in Bavaria, Nagelsmann's playing career was limited by injuries, and he did not make a senior professional appearance. He began his coaching career in TSG Hoffenheim's youth setup in 2010 and was appointed head coach in 2015, taking over the following year. His best finish there was third place in the Bundesliga. Nagelsmann joined RB Leipzig in 2019, where the club reached the semi-finals of the 2019–20 UEFA Champions League, but he departed after two seasons, having lost the 2021 DFB-Pokal Final. In 2021, he was appointed head coach of Bayern Munich, where he won the 2021–22 Bundesliga extending the club's run to a tenth consecutive championship, and two DFL-Supercup titles before being dismissed in March 2023, midway through his second season; reporting attributed the decision to inconsistent results. In September 2023, Nagelsmann was appointed coach of the Germany national team, which was eliminated in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 on home soil. He stepped down in July 2026 after Germany were eliminated in the round of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup by Paraguay, the nation's first penalty-shootout defeat in World Cup history.
Nagelsmann was born on 23 July 1987 in Landsberg am Lech, Bavaria. He played for FC Augsburg and 1860 Munich at youth level, and was the captain of TSV 1860 Munich's U19 team. In the 2006–07 season, he was part of the second team but made no appearances due to injuries. Nagelsmann returned to Augsburg for the 2007–08 season coached by Thomas Tuchel, playing with the second team, but injured his knee and meniscus for the second time, damaging the cartilage. As a result, he ended his professional playing career at the age of 20. Nagelsmann had already assisted Tuchel as a scout in the first half of 2008. He studied business administration for four semesters before transferring to sports science. He then focused on coaching, returning to 1860 Munich as an assistant to Alexander Schmidt for the club's U17 team from 2008 to 2010. He later made a brief return to lower-level football with FC Issing while working at Hoffenheim.
Nagelsmann joined TSG Hoffenheim's youth academy in 2010 and coached several youth teams in the following years. He was an assistant coach during Hoffenheim's 2012–13 season, and up until 11 February 2016, was coaching the club's U19 team. He coached Hoffenheim's U19 "junior team" to win the 2013–14 Under 19 Bundesliga title.
Nagelsmann was appointed head coach of TSG Hoffenheim on 27 October 2015, initially to take over from the 2016–17 season. After Huub Stevens resigned for health reasons in February 2016, Nagelsmann assumed the role earlier than planned. At 28, he became the youngest head coach in Bundesliga history. Hoffenheim were 17th in the Bundesliga when Nagelsmann took charge. The club avoided relegation after winning seven of its final fourteen league matches and finishing one point above the relegation play-off place. In the 2016–17 season, Hoffenheim finished fourth and qualified for the Champions League qualifying round. Hoffenheim extended Nagelsmann's contract until 2021 in June 2017. In the 2017–18 season, Hoffenheim lost to Liverpool in the Champions League play-off round and finished last in their Europa League group. Hoffenheim finished third in 2017–18 and qualified directly for the Champions League group stage. In the 2018–19 Champions League, Hoffenheim finished last in their group with three draws and three defeats.
On 21 June 2018, RB Leipzig announced that Nagelsmann would become their head coach from the 2019–20 season on a four-year contract.
In his first season, Leipzig finished third in the Bundesliga and reached the semi-finals of the 2019–20 UEFA Champions League. They topped their group and defeated Tottenham Hotspur in the round of 16 and Atlético Madrid in the quarter-finals before losing 3–0 to Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals. The knockout rounds from the quarter-finals onward were played as single-leg ties at neutral venues because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the 2020–21 season, Leipzig finished second in the Bundesliga, reached the Champions League round of 16, and lost the DFB-Pokal final 4–1 to Borussia Dortmund. Nagelsmann left Leipzig after two seasons without a major trophy.
