In the relegation battle: new job for ex-BVB star Toprak | OneFootball

Borussia Dortmund shaped a large part of his Bundesliga career. Now, former BVB star Ömer Toprak is beginning a new chapter – right in the middle of La Liga's relegation battle.

Ömer Toprak is back in professional football – but no longer as a player. The former Bundesliga central defender has embarked on a new chapter in his career and will work as an assistant coach at the Spanish top-flight club Real Sociedad San Sebastián. Alongside head coach Pellegrino Matarazzo, the 36-year-old is diving straight into an intense relegation battle in La Liga.

Real Sociedad is currently in a difficult sporting phase. With 17 points, the traditional club is currently in 16th place and has only a slight lead over the relegation spots. In the last five league games, they managed only one victory. For Toprak, it is nevertheless – or perhaps precisely because of this – an appealing challenge: it is his first position as a coach in professional football.

The former national player brings a wealth of experience. In the Bundesliga, Toprak played 263 games for SC Freiburg, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund, and Werder Bremen.

Ex-BVB Star Toprak Becomes Assistant Coach at Real Sociedad

Additionally, he has appearances in the Champions League, Europa League, and 27 international matches for Turkey. He only ended his active career at the end of 2024 and simultaneously obtained his B coaching license. Most recently, Toprak was still active in amateur football.

In the 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons, he played for SK Weingarten, where he left a mark not only in sports but also personally. “Ömer was not just a player for us, but a real point of reference for the team,” praised the coaching and board staff upon his departure. With the club, Toprak celebrated the championship title in the Kreisliga B and promotion, and also scored a much-noted farewell goal in his last match.

At Real Sociedad, Toprak now complements the coaching staff around Matarazzo, together with fellow assistant John Maisano. For the former BVB professional, this marks the beginning of an adventure at the highest level – under great pressure, but with the opportunity to bring his extensive playing experience to the sidelines for the first time.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.