Red Bull didn't have to look far for Jürgen Klopp's replacement. Roger Schmidt, 59, has been appointed Head of Global Soccer, officially returning to an organisation he first worked with over a decade ago. He starts on October 1.
The fit makes sense on paper. Schmidt coached RB Salzburg between 2012 and 2014, winning the Austrian league and cup double in his second season before Bayer Leverkusen came calling. He knows the Red Bull philosophy from the inside — the pressing intensity, the youth-first model, the aggressive structure. CEO Oliver Mintzlaff put it plainly: Schmidt has "a clear understanding of our philosophy" and an "outstanding reputation for developing young talents."
A career that earned this seat
After Leverkusen, Schmidt took charge of PSV Eindhoven (2020–2022) and then Benfica (2022–2024), two clubs with serious European ambitions and demanding supporter bases. He wasn't just collecting stamps on his CV — he was building a profile as someone who could operate at the top end of the game without the resources of the elite. Most recently, he had been serving as Global Sports Director in Japan's J.League since October 2025, still under contract there until 2027. Red Bull clearly made the call worth his while.
The role he's filling only opened up because Klopp left to become Germany head coach, stepping in after Julian Nagelsmann resigned following a disappointing World Cup. Red Bull waived compensation despite Klopp being contracted through 2029 — a gesture that says plenty about how that relationship ended. Klopp's deal with the DFB now runs through the 2030 World Cup.
What Schmidt inherits
This isn't a coaching job in the traditional sense. Schmidt will oversee Red Bull's entire global club portfolio — RB Leipzig, RB Salzburg, New York Red Bulls, Bragantino and beyond. Klopp spent less than a year in the role before Germany pulled him away. Schmidt is being asked to give it real continuity.
"Red Bull's international club portfolio is unique, ambitious and shaped by a clear philosophy of developing young talents while also being successful at the highest level," Schmidt said. "It is precisely this combination that makes this task particularly appealing to me."
For anyone tracking Leipzig's transfer activity or Salzburg's pipeline into the top five European leagues, the direction of that pipeline just got a new conductor — one who has lived inside the system before.
