Werder Bremen hires Daniel Thioune as coach after Horst Steffen's exit
Daniel Thioune, new coach of Bundesliga soccer team Werder Bremen, is introduced at a press conference in Bremen, Germany, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. Credit: AP/Carmen Jaspersen
BREMEN, Germany — Werder Bremen hired Daniel Thioune as coach to replace Horst Steffen, who was fired over the weekend after a 10-game winless run in the Bundesliga.
Bremen said Wednesday that Thioune, who has previously coached Hamburger SV and Fortuna Düsseldorf in the second division, is taking over with immediate effect.
“We had very good discussions with Daniel. His idea of football, his personality, and his approach to our current sporting situation were decisive factors in the decision," Bremen sporting director Clemens Fritz said. “We are convinced that we can achieve a turnaround with him.”
The 51-year-old Thioune started his coaching career in 2017, becoming the first German-born Black professional soccer manager in the country. This is his first Bundesliga job.
Bremen has won just four of its 20 league games so far this season and is 15th in the 18-team division. The team was knocked out in the first round of the German Cup.
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