Who is Christian Ilzer?

Christian Ilzer

Age: 47 (born 21 October 1977)
Club: Hoffenheim
Role: Head coach
Country of birth: Austria

Key stats

Ilzer's playing career ended before it could even begin at the age of 17, as a series of cruciate ligament injuries derailed any potential he had as a player. He would waste no time in getting into the world of coaching, taking over the U17 side of his local team USK Raiffeisen Puch. After a brief spell as a player-coach at the club, Ilzer would go on to be an assistant at Austrian outfit TSV Hartberg.

Ilzer would return to Hartberg as assistant in 2013 following spells with Austria's U19 side as well as one season at SC Weiz in 2012-13. Similar spells as assistant and caretaker would follow at SC Wiener Neustadt. Working as assistant at Wolfsberger AC between 2015-17 would prove to be the last step to taking on full coaching reigns - he would return to Hartberg one last time, this time as head coach, to guide the club to the Austrian top-flight for the first time in their history.

Ilzer left Hartberg on a high to rejoin Wolfsberger where he would mark another historic achievement, guiding the club to the UEFA Europa League group stages for the very first time. A one-season spell at Austria Vienna followed, which proved to be unspectacular, before he etched his name in Austrian football history as coach of Sturm Graz.

The Austrian guided Sturm Graz to back-to-back second-placed finishes in the league whilst also securing the Austrian Cup in the 2022-23 season. He then guided his side to a near-unthinkable feat - dismantling Red Bull Salzburg's dominance of Austrian football, as Sturm Graz went on to achieve a historic domestic double, ending Salzburg's 10-year spell as league champions.

Hired by Hoffenheim to replace the outgoing Pellegrino Matarazzo in November 2024, Ilzer began his tenure at TSG with a dramatic 4-3 victory against RB Leipzig and he would go on to lead the Sinsheimers to Bundesliga safety in his maiden campaign in Germany. 

Coaches a bit like: Ralf Rangnick

Having developed in an Austrian football environment dominated by the Red Bull approach that Rangnick did so much to shape, there are similarities to be drawn in Ilzer's tactical approach to that of Ralf Rangnick - with a big focus on pressing high up the pitch and maintaining control of games with intensity and relentless attacking. Ilze favours a midfield diamond in the hope of stifling opposition teams in the middle of the park to create high-quality turnover opportunities.

Watch: Hoffenheim edge closer to safety in 2024/25

Did you know?

Ilzer worked with three current Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 players in his previous stints at Austria Vienna and Wolfsberger AC, namely Patrick Wimmer as well as Romano Schmid and Benedikt Pichler. 

What they're saying

"His style of play is all about clarity and high intensity. This fits perfectly with our DNA." - Andreas Schicker, Hoffenheim Head of Football.

"Hoffenheim is a very exciting club with a lot of potential, just like the team itself. In addition, Hoffenheim also play on the European stage, and last but not least, I have the special opportunity to work with someone I trust like Andreas Schicker again." - Ilzer during his Hoffenheim unveiling.