Roger Schmidt

Playing and early managerial career

Born in Kierspe, North Rhine-Westphalia, Schmidt played as a midfielder for clubs in the region's leagues. He combined his career with studying Mechanical Engineering at Paderborn University, and then working for Benteler International. In 2004, Schmidt was made player-manager of Delbrücker SC in the fifth-tier Verbandsliga. Two years later, with the team now one division up into the Oberliga, he retired from playing but stayed on for one further year solely as manager. Having to balance the commitments of his marriage and young children, as well as his engineering profession, Schmidt only wanted to manage for one season but stayed for three. He decided to leave football for good, but was drawn back by interest from fellow Oberliga team SC Preußen Münster, for whom he quit his engineering job. He was appointed manager in May 2007, effective 1 July, and was sacked on 21 March 2010. Schmidt's contract stated that the club would find him an engineering job in the city of Münster should he be dismissed, but by that stage he was ready to commit solely to football management.

SC Paderborn 07

Schmidt became manager of 2. Bundesliga club SC Paderborn 07 on 1 July 2011. On his professional debut 16 days later, the team won 2–1 at Hansa Rostock. On 30 July, the team won 10–0 in the first round of the DFB-Pokal away to Rot Weiss Ahlen, though the second round was a 4–0 loss at SpVgg Greuther Fürth. His sole league season at the…

Red Bull Salzburg

Austrian Football Bundesliga: 2013–14 Austrian Cup: 2013–14 Beijing Guoan

Chinese FA Cup: 2018 PSV

KNVB Cup: 2021–22 Johan Cruyff Shield: 2021 Benfica

Primeira Liga: 2022–23 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2023 Individual

Primeira Liga Manager of the Season: 2022–23 Primeira Liga's Manager of the Month: August 2022, October/November 2022, December 2022/January 2023