Ralf Rangnick Biography: Wife, Age, Children, Net Worth, Parents, Height, Salary, Tactics, Wiki

Biography

Ralf Dietrich Rangnick (born 29 June 1958) is a German football coach, executive, and former player, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in modern football.

Nicknamed the “Professor” for his tactical acumen, Rangnick is credited with pioneering Gegenpressing — the high-intensity, immediate counter-pressing style that has shaped contemporary football.

He has profoundly influenced a generation of top coaches, including Jürgen Klopp, Thomas Tuchel, Julian Nagelsmann, and Oliver Glasner.

After a modest playing career as a midfielder, he began coaching in the 1980s and achieved notable success at clubs such as TSG Hoffenheim (two promotions to the Bundesliga), Schalke 04 (DFB-Pokal winner and Champions League semi-finalist), and RB Leipzig (key architect of their rapid rise). He also played a pivotal role in building the Red Bull football network as sporting director.

Following a brief interim stint at Manchester United in 2021–22, Rangnick took charge of the Austria national team in 2022. Under his leadership, Austria qualified for UEFA Euro 2024 (reaching the knockout stage) and secured qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup — their first since 1998 — with his contract running through to that tournament.

German football coach, executive, and former player
Ralf Rangnick
Wiki Facts & About Data
Real Name:	Ralf Dietrich Rangnick
Stage Name:	Ralf Rangnick
Born:	29 June 1958 (age 67 years old)
Place of Birth:	Backnang, Germany
Nationality:	German
Education:	University of Sussex
Height:	1.81 m
Parents:	Erika Rangnick, Dietrich Rangnick
Siblings:	N/A
Spouse:	Gabriele Lamm-Rangnick
Girlfriend • Partner:	Not Dating
Children:	David Rangnick, Kevin Rangnick
Occupation:	Football Manager • Executive
Net Worth:	$20 million (USD)

Early Life & Education

Ralf Rangnick was born on 29 June 1958 in Backnang, a small town in the Swabian region of Baden-Württemberg, West Germany (present-day Germany).

Growing up in this post-war environment, he was shaped by his family’s history of displacement: his parents, Dietrich and Erika Rangnick, met in 1945 in Lichtenstein, Saxony, in the Ore Mountains.

His father, Dietrich Rangnick, hailed from Königsberg (now Kaliningrad, Russia), and his mother, Erika Rangnick, from Breslau (now Wrocław, Poland)—areas from which many ethnic Germans were expelled or fled westward after World War II, contributing to the refugee background that defined much of his early family life.

Rangnick is of German ethnicity, with roots in former German territories in Eastern Europe. He adheres to Christianity, a faith that aligns with the predominantly Christian cultural context of his Swabian upbringing in mid-20th-century Germany. No publicly available information exists regarding siblings.

Educationally, Rangnick pursued his early football development at VfB Stuttgart’s youth academy. At age 20, he took a significant step abroad, spending a formative year in England on an academic exchange. There, he studied physical education (PE) and English at the University of Sussex, while also playing non-league football for Southwick FC in Sussex.

This experience proved highly influential, exposing him to varied tactical ideas and inspiring the innovative coaching philosophy he would later develop. He later completed his formal coaching qualifications in Germany, earning his football teaching license with top marks from the German Football Association.

Career

Ralf Rangnick has built an impressive and influential career in football over more than forty years, working as a coach, executive, and tactical thinker. Often called the “Professor” for his thoughtful approach, he was one of the first to use Gegenpressing, a high-energy, immediate counter-pressing style.

This approach has had a significant impact on modern football, influencing coaches such as Jürgen Klopp, Thomas Tuchel, and Julian Nagelsmann.

Rangnick started coaching in 1983 at age 25, first as a player-coach at his hometown club FC Viktoria Backnang. He then managed reserve and amateur teams, including VfB Stuttgart II from 1985 to 1987, TSV Lippoldsweiler from 1987 to 1988, and SC Korb from 1988 to 1990.

He led VfB Stuttgart’s U19 team to win the U-19 Bundesliga in the 1990–91 season. His big break came in 1997 with SSV Ulm 1846, where he won the Regionalliga Süd and earned promotion to the 2. Bundesliga, the club’s first time in the second division.

Rangnick moved to top-level football with VfB Stuttgart from 1999 to 2001, winning the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 2000 and leading the team to good results in Germany and Europe before leaving in 2001. He took Hannover 96 to the Bundesliga in the 2001–02 season and kept them in the middle of the table.

His most notable club roles were with Schalke 04 in 2004–2005 and 2011, and with TSG Hoffenheim from 2006 to 2011. At Hoffenheim, he led the team from the Regionalliga Süd to the Bundesliga by 2008, a huge achievement for a small club.

When he returned to Schalke in 2011, he helped them win the DFB-Pokal, the DFL-Supercup, and reach the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, their best result in the tournament. In 2012, Rangnick became director of football for Red Bull Salzburg and RB Leipzig.

He was key to Leipzig’s quick rise from the fourth division to the Bundesliga, earning promotion in 2016 and building a team focused on youth and high pressing. He also served as head coach for Leipzig in 2015–16 and 2018–19, leading them to third place in the Bundesliga and into the Champions League.

He later worked as head of sport and development until he left in 2020. In late 2021, Rangnick became Manchester United’s interim manager for the rest of the 2021–22 season. Even with some challenges, he brought his pressing style to the team. Since June 2022, he has been the head coach of Austria’s national team.

Under his leadership, Austria qualified for UEFA Euro 2024 by finishing first in their group and reaching the round of 16. More importantly, they qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup—their first since 1998—by topping UEFA Group H in late 2025.

Rangnick is still leading Austria, with his contract running through the 2026 World Cup in North America.

Personal Life

Ralf Rangnick is currently 67 years old, born on 29 June 1958.

Rangnick has been married to Gabriele Lamm-Rangnick (also referred to as Gabriele or Gabriela in some reports), a longtime partner he reportedly met in his youth.

The couple is said to have wed in the 1990s and enjoyed a long-term relationship, though occasional unconfirmed tabloid reports from around 2017 suggested a separation; more recent accounts describe an ongoing happy marriage. They have two sons, David Rangnick and Kevin Rangnick.

He stands at 1.81 m (approximately 5 ft 11 in), a detail commonly listed in player profiles from his days as a midfielder.

Net Worth

Ralf Rangnick‘s net worth is estimated at around $20 million (approximately €18–20 million) as of recent reports in 2024–2025.

This figure, commonly cited by sources like Celebrity Net Worth, stems primarily from his long and successful career as a football coach, sporting director, and executive.

Key contributors to his wealth include high-earning roles such as sporting director at RB Leipzig (where he reportedly earned €3–4 million annually), executive positions within the Red Bull football network (including Red Bull Salzburg), a lucrative interim stint at Manchester United in 2021–22 (with a reported £8 million for six months), and his current position as head coach of the Austria national team (estimated at about €1–1.5 million per year, with his contract extended through the 2026 FIFA World Cup).

Estimates vary across sources, with some German media suggesting a range of €20–40 million when factoring in investments, bonuses, and diversification beyond football. Rangnick has also channeled portions of his wealth into philanthropy, founding the Ralf Rangnick Foundation in 2018 to support child development.

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