Sooner than some might have expected, Red Bull has announced Jürgen Klopp’s successor as the new Head of Global Soccer. Roger Schmidt is quite different from his predecessor, but is also considered to be outspoken.
The news almost got lost amid the transfer speculation surrounding Yan Diomande. Sooner than some might have expected, Red Bull has appointed a new Head of Global Soccer—and thus Jürgen Klopp’s successor. On Friday, the company introduced Roger Schmidt as its new mastermind—for the soccer operations in Leipzig, Salzburg, New York, Bragantino in Brazil, Omiya Ardija in Japan, as well as FC Paris and Leeds United, in which Red Bull holds minority stakes.
RB DNA plus a focus on possession
Schmidt will assume his new position on October 1, effectively returning to the Red Bull universe. From 2012 to 2014, the now 59-year-old coached RB Salzburg before moving on to Bayer Leverkusen (2014–2017), Beijing Guoan (2017–2019), PSV Eindhoven (2020–2022), and Benfica Lisbon (2022–2024).
Schmidt once caught Red Bull’s eye because his approach aligned with the company’s soccer DNA. Schmidt’s philosophy was (and is) an active style of soccer featuring aggressive high pressing and quick transitions forward when regaining possession. However, in recent years, Schmidt has expanded his repertoire to include a possession-based approach. Initially in China, this was because a 90-minute chase for the ball wasn’t feasible due to the climate there. At Benfica, which usually dominates as Portugal’s top team, he further adapted his style.
Lisbon as his final coaching post
Lisbon was the (for now?) final coaching post for the man who was once reportedly considered for coaching roles at RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich, and Borussia Dortmund. “It’s not a new decision for me to stop working as a club coach,” he said when he accepted his nine-month-limited role as an advisor to the Japanese Football Association.
Given his advisory role in Japan, the position as Head of Global Soccer is not entirely uncharted territory for Schmidt. But who will Red Bull bring in as its new chief strategist? Schmidt certainly doesn’t have the aura and presence of Klopp, and he’s probably not the kind of charismatic leader or crowd-pleaser either.
The father of two is nonetheless considered quite affable and organized, but also combative and outspoken. Many soccer fans still remember his outburst as Leverkusen’s coach, when—during a home game on October 22, 2016, against TSG Hoffenheim (0–3)—he berated then-TSG coach Julian Nagelsmann with harsh words in front of live cameras.
Schmidt Stands for Sticking to His Principles
Some call Schmidt a “principle-driven” person because of his commitment to his principles. For the power-conscious Red Bull managing director and RB supervisory board chairman Oliver Mintzlaff—whose relationship with Klopp is said to have recently become somewhat strained—Schmidt will certainly be someone who clearly stands up for his point of view.