Niko Kovač takes over the scepter at BVB: a new departure!

Niko Kovač takes over the scepter at BVB: a new departure!

On January 29, 2025, Borussia Dortmund announced the commitment of Niko Kovač as the new head coach. The contract of the former football professional and trainer runs until 2026. This decision is made against the background of the upcoming start of the FIFA Club World Cup, which is of crucial importance for BVB. Kovač will run the team from June 17 in the group phase against Fluminense, Mamelodi Sundowns and Ulsan HD, whereby the round of 16 could take place on June 30th or July 2.

The announcement of the contract was signed on the success of BVB in the Champions League against Schachtar Donetsk, which further increased the anticipation for the upcoming challenges in international competition. Sports director Lars Ricken praised Kovač for his energy, his will and focus on team spirit, which is considered the central elements of his training philosophy.

The challenges and skepticism in the area

Kovač himself emphasized the importance of will, heart and hard work that he sees for the key attributes of his trainer. This fits his career so far, in which he has always shown great commitment and passion both as a player and as a trainer. Born on October 15, 1971 in West Berlin, Kovač began his football career at the age of eight and played in the Bundesliga for clubs such as Hertha BSC, Bayer Leverkusen, Hamburger SV and Bayern Munich.

A look at the coaching career

Before he hires at BVB, Kovač led the Croatian national team to remarkable success. He was both a captain of the Croatian national team as well as a coach of the U21 and the A national team. Under his instructions, Croatia took part in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. In the Bundesliga, Kovač drew attention to himself as a coach of Eintracht Frankfurt, where he won the DFB Cup in 2018 before moving to Bayern Munich a year later and winning the double from the Bundesliga and DFB Cup.

After his time at Bayern Munich, Kovač was active at AS Monaco from 2020 to 2022, followed by a station at VfL Wolfsburg until 2024. His return to the German Bundesliga as a trainer at BVB shows his determination to be successful and to build on his previous success.

How Kovač will prove itself in Dortmund remains to be seen, but expectations are high, especially in view of the upcoming challenges and the characteristic style of play that he wants to offer fans. The coming months in the Bundesliga and internationally are all about the adaptation and increase in performance of the team, while Kovač has to assert himself in his new role.