Rudi Völler will remain German men's national teams director until the 20026 World Cup amid big hope that coach Julian Nagelsmann will follow suit.
The governing body DFB said on Monday that it has renewed the contract of the popular former national team striker and coach Völler by two years, beyond this year's European championships which take place in Germany.
Völler, 63, took the newly created job after the 2022 World Cup group stage exit, after originally only being part of a DFB task force set up to create change.
Völler was instrumental in last autumn's appointment of former Bayern Munich coach Nagelsmann in succession of Hansi Flick.
Germany returned to form in March friendlies with victories against France and the Netherlands, for which Völler has been credited as well, and the DFB has said it would like to renew Nagelsmann's contract which runs until the Euros.
Nagelsmann has said he wants his future decided before the tournament, open to continue at the Germany helm but also ready to return to club coaching.
"We also expect his [Völler's] contract extension to send a positive signal to national coach Julian Nagelsmann, with whom we would also like to work together in the long term," DFB managing director Andreas Rettig said.
Völler said around an event Monday in Düsseldorf for all Euro 2024 coaches: "We would be delighted if we could manage that, but we don't want to get ahead of ourselves.
"It is of course a difficult decision for Julian Nagelsmann in the coming weeks, but we are of course in talks."
Without mentioning Nagelsmann, DFB president Bernd Neuendorf said: "I feel that it is a signal from the DFB as a whole that we would like to continue working together in this current set-up towards the tournament after next, the World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada."
The DFB delegation signed the visitors' book of the city of Düsseldorf, with Euro 2024 tournament director Philipp Lahm quipping that Nagelsmann might as well have signed a new DFB deal as well while he was at it.
Neuendorf had earlier said in a DFB statement: "With all his experience, Rudi Völler is an important contact and advisor for me and also for the coaches and players. He has a positive influence on the national team.
"After some difficult years recently, there is a great deal of enthusiasm for the national team again. In addition to the outstanding work of Julian Nagelsmann and his team, this is also thanks to Rudi Völler."
Völler said: "Over the past 14 months of my work, I have realised that I have grown more and more fond of my responsible role at the DFB every day.
"What perhaps started out as a sense of obligation towards Germany, the association and the national team has long since developed into a personal endeavour.
"As director of the senior national team, I would like to use my experience to play my part in ensuring that Germany's most important football team is successful again, but also beyond this summer's home European Championships.
"I really enjoy working with all those responsible at the DFB for the senior national team, right down to the U-teams. Together, we now want to organise a wonderful European Championship in Germany and then take the momentum with us for further tasks."
Völler earned 90 Germany caps, winning the World Cup in 1990 and playing in the finals of the 1986 World Cup and Euro 1992. He coached Germany to the 2002 World Cup final during his term at the helm 2000-2004, and was interim coach for one match last year before Nagelsmann took charge.
Before his latest DFB engagement he was a long time sporting director and managing director for sport at Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen until 2022.
