Ralf Rangnick will remain head coach of the Austrian men’s national team and will not take over at Bayern Munich.
Rangnick previously said he was in talks with Bayern to succeed Thomas Tuchel, who is due to leave the Bundesliga at the end of this season.
However, the 65-year-old confirmed on Thursday that he would remain with Austria, with Bayern surprised by Rangnick’s decision after believing they could offer him what they were looking for in his next role.
“I am the boss of the Austrian team with all my heart,” Rangnick said. “I really enjoy this task and am determined to continue successfully on the path we have chosen.
“I would like to expressly emphasize that this is not a rejection of FC Bayern, but rather a decision for my team and our common goals. We are fully focused on the European Championship. We will do everything our best to go as far as possible!
Rangnick, who spent seven months in charge of Manchester United on an interim basis during the 2021-22 season, will now lead Austria at the upcoming Euros in Germany. His team qualified for the tournament in second place behind Belgium in Group F and ahead of Sweden, winning six of their eight matches, meaning his contract with the Austrian FA (OFB) was automatically extended until ‘at the 2026 World Cup. They will face France, Poland and the Netherlands in Group D.
“We are extremely happy with his decision,” added OFB sports director Peter Schottel. “We understood that he had two very attractive options and gave him time to consider everything calmly. We are proud that he chose Austria.
After it was announced that Rangnick was in the running for the Bayern job, fans called on the club to keep Tuchel for the terms of his contract, which was due to last until June 2025.
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Bayern, meanwhile, saw their 11-year run as champions last month as Bayer Leverkusen won the Bundesliga title, while the Munich club also lost the German Super Cup to RB Leipzig and exited the DFB-Pokal in the second round after losing to the third tier. FC Saarbrücken earlier this season.
Bayern, however, remain in the Champions League and travel to Real Madrid next week for the second leg of their semi-final after Tuesday’s first leg finished 2-2 in Germany.
Leverkusen’s Germany last month.
Rangnick previously managed Hannover, Schalke, Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig and also took little-known German side Ulm to the Bundesliga for the first time in their history at the start of this century. He also had success as a football manager. He held this position for Red Bull Salzburg and RB Leipzig from 2012, while also serving brief stints as manager at Leipzig.
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How Ralf Rangnick transformed Austria and took them to Euro 2024
(Ronny Hartmann/AFP via Getty Images)