Ralf Rangnick - Biography
Ralf Rangnick – visionary, tactical strategist, and architect of modern concept football
Ralf Rangnick is one of the most influential football coaches and sporting directors in Europe. As the current head coach of the Austrian national team, he stands for a clear vision of the game, systematic development, and a modern leadership culture – both on and off the pitch.With innovative concepts, precise scouting, and a deep understanding of team development, he has made soccer history. Whether in Hoffenheim, Schalke, or RB Leipzig, Rangnick achieves what few others can – he not only builds teams, but shapes them into successful units with a clear identity.
His career is peppered with milestones: he led SSV Ulm into professional football, revolutionised German tactical training with ball-oriented zone defence and laid the foundation for a top international team at RB Leipzig. He was one of the first coaches in Germany to introduce tactical concepts from abroad, analyse the game systematically and make science part of training. His conviction: success can be planned – with structure, courage, precision, and passion.
Ralf Rangnick Lecture topics
- 10 principles of effective leadership & motivation in soccer and business
- Scouting in sports & HR in business: forming, selecting, and managing a team
- Motivating when things aren’t going well
- Team: everyone must take responsibility
Who is Ralf Rangnick? – From player-coach to top European strategist
Born in Backnang in 1958, Rangnick began early on not only to play soccer, but also to think about it. As a student in England, he learned about the uncompromising toughness of British soccer – an experience that shaped him. Back in Germany, he combined playing experience with analytical thinking. He recognized early on that success depends not only on talent, but also on structure, attitude, and a clear plan. As a player-coach, he led Backnang through the leagues and made a name for himself as a tactical pioneer.
His breakthrough came with Ulm and VfB Stuttgart. At Hoffenheim, he impressively demonstrated how concept, competence, and capital can take a team from the regional league to the Bundesliga—a first in German soccer. This was followed by a successful spell at RB Leipzig, where he orchestrated an unprecedented rise as sporting director and coach: within a few years, he catapulted the club from the fourth division to the Champions League – always with a keen eye for talent, a modern management style, and innovative training methods.
Ralf Rangnick stands for transformation – in sports as well as in business. He sees teams as systems in which everyone bears responsibility. His ideas are in demand not only in professional sports, but also in companies that want to transform, grow, or reposition themselves.