Lena has drawn attention recently with her frequent appearances alongside the German national team. On 15/6, a day after Germany's 7-1 victory over Curacao, she and coach Nagelsmann cycled to a training session at Wake Fores University in the US. She also frequently sits directly behind the dugout during international matches. This visibility has prompted criticism from Lothar Matthaus, a former midfielder and 1990 World Cup winner.

Matthaus stated Lena's presence is setting an unfavorable precedent. "The coach's wife or girlfriend should not appear too frequently in photos associated with the team. That is inappropriate," Matthaus told Bild. He added that while players have days off and their families can visit the hotel, this rule should also apply to the coach. Bild newspaper also noted that no coach's wife or girlfriend has ever appeared so often in front of the cameras.

Burgi (blonde hair) and Lena (waving a scarf), mother and girlfriend of coach Julian Nagelsmann, cheering during the World Cup 2026 opening match, Germany 7-1 Curacao, at NRG Stadium in Houston, US on 14/6. Photo: AFP

Nagelsmann married Verena, his childhood sweetheart and mother of his two children, in 2018. The couple separated five years later, when he was discovered to be in a relationship with Lena, a reporter for Bild newspaper. Lena subsequently left the newspaper to avoid conflicts of interest.

Historically, most wives of German national team coaches maintained a certain distance from their husbands' professional lives. Eva and Anneliese, wives of coaches Sepp Herberger and Helmut Schon, were both absent when their husbands won the World Cup in 1954 and 1974 respectively.

Public interest in coaches' partners grew when Franz Beckenbauer took charge in 1984. Just before the 1990 World Cup, he married his second wife, Sybille, and brought her to the tournament, which they won. In 1996, coach Berti Vogts even benefited from his wife Monika's advice regarding the selection of Oliver Bierhoff for the Euro tournament. Bierhoff scored two goals in the subsequent final, helping Germany defeat the Czech Republic 2-1. When Germany reached the 2002 World Cup final, Sabrina, wife of coach Rudi Voller, was frequently present in the stands and occasionally at the hotel. Debbie, wife of coach Jurgen Klinsmann, also made multiple appearances in the stands four years later.

In contrast, Joachim Low, Germany's longest-serving coach with 15 years, had a more discreet wife, Daniela. At Euro 2008, she purchased tickets outside the VIP area to avoid attention. Silke, wife of coach Hansi Flick, did not appear at the World Cup 2022.

Nagelsmann has managed the German national team since 2023, following seven years of working with clubs Hoffenheim, Leipzig, and Bayern. The 38-year-old coach led Germany to the Euro 2024 quarterfinals on home soil and secured qualification for the World Cup 2026.

Nagelsmann's team leads Group E after their 7-1 opening match victory against Curacao. Ivory Coast, who defeated Ecuador 1-0, ranks second. Germany will play Ivory Coast on 20/6 and Ecuador on 25/6.

Thanh Quy (via Bild)