World Cup and Germany record scorer Miroslav Klose was on Tuesday appointed coach at history-laden second division club Nuremberg.
Nuremberg said that Klose, 46, takes over from Cristian Fiél, who has moved on to Hertha Berlin. He had recently been linked with his former club Lazio before taking a first senior team job in his home country.
Former striker Klose won the 2014 World Cup and became all-time tournament top scorer with 17 goals at that event in Brazil. His 71 goals in 137 caps 2001-2014 are a German record.
He started his coaching career in 2018 at the under-17 team of his former club Bayern Munich, was Bayern assistant coach 2020-2021 before being in charge of Austria's Altach the following season.
Nuremberg last played in the Bundesliga in 2018-19 and finished 12th in the past second tier season. The club has a storied past with nine national titles and four German Cups and remains very popular to this day.
"Tradition, passion, honest work, great fans - these are all things that I love about football and that I associate with 1. FC Nürnberg. That's why the opportunity to become a coach here immediately grabbed me," Klose said in a club statement.
"With its academy work the club has a great foundation that we want to build on. Now it's time to get going, get to work and get the season off to a good start."
Klose is the second prominent newcomer at Nuremberg, following former national teams manager Joti Chatzialexiou who was appointed board member for sport recently.
"Miro is an enormously meticulous and detail-obsessed coach who has not only experienced and learnt a great deal during his successful playing career, but has also developed a clear idea as a coach of how to be successful in football and what it takes on the pitch and in the dressing room," Chatzialexiou said.
