Mertesacker Named German FA Sporting Director

Per Mertesacker, the 2014 World Cup winner and former Arsenal defender, has been named the new managing director for sport at the German Football Association (DFB), the governing body confirmed Friday.

The 41-year-old will take over from Andreas Rettig, signing a contract that extends through the conclusion of the 2030 World Cup.

He is scheduled to officially assume his duties on 1 January 2027, pending the finalisation of his transition from club to national-team duties.

Mertesacker’s appointment comes less than three months after he stepped down as head of Arsenal’s academy — a role he had held since 2018 following his retirement from professional play.

During his tenure at the Premier League club, he oversaw the development of several young talents who later broke into the first team, including Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe.

His departure from North London was described by both parties as an amicable move to pursue new challenges in senior football administration.

In his new capacity, Mertesacker will assume overarching responsibility for Germany’s senior men’s and women’s national teams, as well as the DFB’s entire youth academy structure.

He will work closely with newly appointed head coach Jürgen Klopp, whose hiring was announced on Friday, to reshape the technical direction of German football following a string of underwhelming major-tournament performances, including early exits at the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024.

DFB president Bernd Neuendorf hailed Mertesacker as “a figure of integrity, international experience, and deep knowledge of both elite and youth development,” adding that the former centre-back’s understanding of modern football structures made him the ideal candidate to lead the federation’s sporting overhaul.

Mertesacker, who earned 104 caps for Germany, expressed enthusiasm for the role, stating that his years in England — first as a player and later as an administrator — had prepared him for the transition. He also acknowledged the significance of working alongside Klopp, calling the pairing “a unique opportunity to reignite the national team’s identity.”

The dual appointments of Klopp and Mertesacker signal a decisive generational shift within the DFB’s leadership, with both men now tasked with restoring Germany’s status as a perennial contender on the global stage ahead of the 2026 World Cup in North America and the home-hosted 2030 edition.