Former Benfica man tipped to replace Jurgen Klopp | OneFootball

Jurgen Klopp’s departure from the Red Bull structure could open up a new opportunity for Roger Schmidt. The former Benfica coach is among the names being considered by the Austrian energy drinks brand to take charge of its football division, should the German manager’s move to the Germany national team be confirmed.

Klopp is very close to being officially announced as the new head coach of the Mannschaft, after the German team endured a disappointing World Cup campaign, being eliminated in the round of 32 by Paraguay. The challenge of returning to action with the national team convinced the former Liverpool manager, who is therefore expected to leave his role as Red Bull’s head of global soccer.

In light of this change, the company has already started preparing the succession and, according to German newspaper Bild, has drawn up a shortlist of candidates considered capable of continuing the project implemented by Klopp. Among the names under consideration is Roger Schmidt, former Benfica coach and current sporting director in the J-League, in Japan.

The 58-year-old German coach is not alone in the race, however. Red Bull are also considering Markus Krösche, sporting director of Eintracht Frankfurt, and Thierry Henry, the former French international who in recent years has been more involved in television punditry.

Roger Schmidt left an important mark on Portuguese football during his spell at Benfica. In charge of the Eagles between 2022 and 2024, he led the team in 115 official matches, recording 80 wins, 20 draws and just 15 defeats. At the Luz, he won the national championship in the 2022/23 season and the Cândido de Oliveira Super Cup in 2023/24.

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