Freiburg's Infrastructure and Stability Model

While big-budget transfers and frequently changing head coaches dominate the agenda, Freiburg is taking a different path. The club stands out with its policy built on long-term planning, infrastructure investment, head coach stability and a transfer policy based on player development. Thanks to this approach, the team has over the years become one of the stable sides in the Bundesliga.

At the foundation of the club's current structure is the Freiburg Football School, founded in 2000. At the time, the club devoted a significant share of its economic resources to infrastructure facilities and the development of young players. The aim was to build a system that could develop its own players, rather than paying high transfer fees for expensive footballers.

According to data the club released in 2026, on the occasion of the football school's 25th anniversary, 73 players have so far moved up from the youth system to the professional squad. On average, around 10 football school graduates are in the first-team squad each season. Matthias Ginter, Christian Günter and Noah Atubolu are among those who came through the youth ranks. Kevin Schade and Johan Manzambi, who arrived by transfer, have become examples of the club's development model.

There is also a long-serving structure in the head coaching position. Since 1990, Eckhard Krautzun, Volker Finke, Robin Dutt, Marcus Sorg, Christian Streich and Julian Schuster have worked at the club. Volker Finke took over in 1991 and served for 16 years. Under Finke, the club was promoted to the Bundesliga in 1993 and finished third in the 1994-1995 season, one of the major achievements in its history.

After Finke, Robin Dutt brought the team back to the Bundesliga in 2009. Christian Streich, who took over in December 2011, remained in charge until June 2024, roughly 12.5 years. During Streich's tenure, Freiburg finished fifth in 2012-2013, sixth in 2021-2022 and fifth in 2022-2023. After Streich's departure, rather than looking outside for a new name, the club decided to continue with a coach from within its own structure.