German football national team co-trainer Sandro Wagner has announced his departure from the team before the 2026 World Cup.
In an interview with the German magazine “Spiegel”, Wagner said, “I want to be with the national team at least until then, no question about it.” He noted that he had not intended to work at the German Football Association (DFB) forever, but that the current situation was perfect for him, as he could learn a lot from top-level professionals. “The 2026 World Cup is a cool goal” he added.
Wagner was previously a candidate to become the head coach of TSG Hoffenheim at the end of 2024 and was also linked to a potential role at Borussia Dortmund as a replacement for Nuri Sahin. In September 2023, he took on the job as co-trainer of the German national team, working alongside Bundestrainer Julian Nagelsmann to lead the team to the quarterfinals of the home European Championship last year. “We wanted to become European champions, and we could have done it” Wagner said.
The former midfielder, who played for Bayern Munich, Hoffenheim, and Darmstadt in the Bundesliga and earned eight caps for the national team, does not see himself as a traditional co-trainer. He aims to have a career as a head coach and has already had success in his early years as a trainer, leading SpVgg Unterhaching to promotion in 2023. Wagner is currently undergoing training to become a football coach and believes that the profession is a perfect fit for him. “I sense that this job is perfect for me, and my previous years as a trainer have gone really well” he said. “If someone reads this and can say, ‘The guy needs to prove himself, I’ll sign up for that. I want to prove it, but I have confidence in myself.’