Overview
- Per Mertesacker made his last ZDF appearance during Germany’s 2-0 win over Serbia on Thursday, receiving an emotional on-air send-off from moderator Jochen Breyer and colleague Christoph Kramer.
- He is set to start as the Deutscher Fußball-Bund's Geschäftsführer Sport on 1 January 2027, a role that will place him above incoming national coach Jürgen Klopp in the team hierarchy.
- The broadcast included symbolic gestures and memories, notably ZDF presenting an 'Eistonne' tied to Mertesacker's 2014 World Cup moment and Kramer revealing he once completed an internship with Mertesacker.
- Reports from several outlets say Kramer does not currently hold an active ZDF contract, worked Thursday’s show on an honorarium, and is in talks with the broadcaster about a possible renewal.
- Coverage notes Mertesacker’s Arsenal work, especially overseeing youth development, as a key credential and signals the DFB may shift toward rebuilding its talent pathway and management structure under his leadership.