Julian Nagelsmann

Early career

Nagelsmann joined TSG Hoffenheim's youth academy in 2010 and coached different 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.

TSG Hoffenheim

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 for the first time in the club's history. Following Hoffenheim's fourth-place finish in 2016–17, Nagelsmann was named VDV Coach of the Season and German Football Manager of the Year. 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. Nagelsmann's first two full seasons represented the two highest league finishes in Hoffenheim's history at the…

Analysts have described Nagelsmann's teams as tactically flexible, with frequent changes of formation, possession-oriented play and aggressive pressing after turnovers, including the use of gegenpressing. His use of rotation and tactical variation contributed to his reputation at Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig. During his tenure with the Germany national team, Nagelsmann received praise for convincing Toni Kroos to come out of international retirement and return to the squad ahead of UEFA Euro 2024. However, his communication drew scrutiny in connection with Manuel Neuer's return to the national squad and Oliver Baumann's demotion before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

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 decided to end his footballing career at the age of 20, having never played a senior professional match. He had already assisted his head coach Thomas Tuchel as a scout in the first half of 2008. He studied business administration in university for four semesters until he transferred to sports science. He then concentrated on coaching, returning to his former club 1860 Munich as an assistant to Alexander Schmidt for Munich's U17 team from 2008 to 2010. During the 2010-11 season, he returned to his childhood club, FC Issing, helping them earn promotion to the Kreisklasse, travelling to matches on the weekend, while still coaching during the week at Hoffenheim.

In 2018, Nagelsmann married Verena. They have two children. The couple split in 2023, when he was reported to be in a relationship with Lena Wurzenberger, a sports reporter for Bild. After the relationship became public, Wurzenberger was reassigned from covering Bayern Munich to avoid a potential conflict of interest and later resigned from Bild. Nagelsmann played ice hockey for EV Landsberg and SV Apfeldorf before focusing on football. In 2017, Nagelsmann became the first football coach to join Common Goal, pledging one percent of his salary to football-based charitable projects.