Jürgen Klopp and Per Mertesacker: DFB's New Era Begins

A seismic day at the DFB: while Jürgen Klopp steps into the spotlight as the new national team coach, another major figure is quietly moving into position behind the scenes.

Per Mertesacker, according to consistent reports from Sky and RTL, is set to become the new managing director for sport at the DFB, succeeding Andreas Rettig. The deal is expected to be sealed today, turning a symbolic passing of the torch into a concrete restructuring of German football’s power axis.

The plan is clear: the 2014 World Cup winner will officially start his role in January 2027. His contract is set to run through the 2030 World Cup, tying his tenure directly to a full international cycle and underlining how long-term this decision really is. This is not a stopgap. It is a strategic appointment.

The personnel decision is also expected to be announced today, on the same stage that belongs publicly to Klopp. Yet Mertesacker himself will not be in Frankfurt for the occasion. No grand unveiling, no shared photo call. Just a quiet confirmation that a former World Cup hero is returning to the DFB in a very different capacity.

Klopp on the touchline, Mertesacker in the corridors of power – the outlines of the DFB’s next era are suddenly very clear.