Ralf Rangnick, Lothar Matthäus, Andreas Brehme and Toni Kroos are the German Football Ambassadors 2024
– Ralf Rangnick is German Football Ambassador – the official appointment took place during Euro 2024 with the Austrian national team in Berlin
– Lothar Matthäus and Andreas Brehme (posthumously) receive the Honorary Award
– Toni Kroos wins the Public Award with a record number of votes
– All prize money goes to social projects.
In the main category, Ralf Rangnick, the current Austrian national coach, was awarded the title of “German Football Ambassador 2024.” Roland Bischof, the president of the club, presented the award to him during a training session of the Austrian national team amid the European Championship in Berlin. He later received his personal award at the Sport Marke Medien conference in Munich. The decision for individual presentations was made because it was not feasible to present the award at the Federal Foreign Office during the Euro 2024.
A prestigious jury celebrated Rangnick’s international career, which included stations in Salzburg, New York, and Moscow (all with Red Bull) and at Manchester United before he took charge of the Austrian national team and steered it to new heights.
Aside from his sporting achievements, Rangnick has been socially engaged for eight years with his own foundation for children, particularly in the area of education, known as the Ralf Rangnick Foundation. The prize money also contributes to this foundation, which continues to support children and offer them enhanced educational opportunities.
The 2024 Honorary Award was presented posthumously for the first time in the history of the German Football Ambassador to Andreas Brehme. Lothar Matthäus also received the award and delivered the laudatory speech for his former teammate and close friend.
Lothar Matthäus accepted his award in Berlin shortly before the final of the European Championship. The former world footballer and record international player is one of the most successful footballers in German history. He won numerous national and international titles with Bayern Munich and Inter Milan, including the UEFA Cup.
“I’m delighted to receive this award and am aware of my duty to represent Germany’s colours abroad—even when I’m travelling privately!” said Matthäus when Roland Bischof presented the award.
During the peak of his career, Matthäus played alongside Andreas Brehme, who led Germany to the World Cup title in 1990 with his crucial penalty. Together, they forged a successful era at Inter Milan that the “Tifosi” still dream about today and significantly to the positive image of German football in Italy. “He was like a brother to me,” Matthäus about his long-time companion. Andreas Brehme passed away unexpectedly at the age of 63, just four months before he was to receive the award.
“It was out of the question for the German Football Ambassador to make an exception for the great player and person Andreas Brehme was and to recognise him with the honorary award posthumously for the first time in 2024,” stated the jury.
The prize money will be donated to the Franz Beckenbauer Foundation, which has been involved in integration and aid projects for many years. Matthäus and Brehme have long supported this cause as ambassadors.
German football fans have voted for Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) as the German Football Ambassador for 2024, receiving 71.81% of the votes—the highest approval rating in the history of this award. He was followed by Ann-Katrin Berger (NJ/NY Gotham FC) and his teammate at Madrid, Antonio Rüdiger.
For over twelve years, the German Football Ambassador’s Public Award has been chosen through a public online voting system. It recognises players who represent Germany positively abroad, both on and off the pitch. The prize money is directed to the Toni Kroos Foundation, which supports various projects for disadvantaged children.
