🔥 Trending Who is Roger Schmidt?

Roger Schmidt is a German professional football manager and former player, currently serving as the J. League Global Football Advisor ¹. He has recently been appointed as the Head of Global Football for Red Bull, taking over from Jürgen Klopp ⁴⁶.

Early Life and Playing Career

Born on March 13, 1967, in Kierspe, Germany, Roger Schmidt had a playing career primarily in the lower leagues of German football ¹³. He played as a midfielder for various clubs, including SC Verl, Paderborn 07, and Delbrücker SC, before retiring as a player in 2005 ²⁵.

Managerial Career Highlights

Schmidt transitioned into management shortly after his playing career, quickly establishing a reputation for his high-pressing, attacking style of play, often referred to as "Gegenpressing" ⁴.

Key Managerial Roles:

• SC Verl (2007-2010): His first significant managerial role.
• Preußen Münster (2010-2011): Continued to develop his tactical approach.
• Paderborn 07 (2011-2012): Led the team in the 2. Bundesliga.
• Red Bull Salzburg (2012-2014): Achieved significant success, winning the Austrian Bundesliga and Austrian Cup in the 2013-2014 season ². His work here drew international attention.
• Bayer Leverkusen (2014-2017): Managed the Bundesliga club, guiding them to Champions League qualification ².
• Beijing Guoan (2017-2019): Coached in the Chinese Super League, winning the Chinese FA Cup in 2018.
• PSV Eindhoven (2020-2022): Led the Dutch side, winning the KNVB Cup in 2022 ².
• Benfica (2022-2024): Most recently managed the Portuguese giants, winning the Primeira Liga in the 2022-2023 season ³.

Recent Appointment at Red Bull

As of July 31, 2026, Red Bull officially announced Roger Schmidt as their new Head of Global Football ⁶⁷. In this role, he replaces Jürgen Klopp, who recently became the manager of the German national team ⁴⁶. Schmidt is expected to take charge of Red Bull's global football portfolio from October 2026 ⁴. This move signifies a shift for Schmidt from club management to a more overarching strategic role within the Red Bull football network, which includes clubs like RB Leipzig, Red Bull Salzburg, and New York Red Bulls ⁴.