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Florian Jungwirth Announces Retirement, Named VWFC Assistant Coach

January 27, 2023 - Major League Soccer (MLS) - Vancouver Whitecaps FC News Release


VANCOUVER, BC - Vancouver Whitecaps FC defender Florian Jungwirth announced his retirement on Friday, following a 15-year professional playing career. In addition, the club announced Jungwirth will be joining the first team coaching staff as an assistant coach.

"I have so many great memories with the most beautiful game in the world," said Jungwirth. "I'm grateful for all the players, coaches and staff members who shared the road with me. Special shoutout to my biggest mentors Ernst Tanner, Horst Hrubesch, Dirk Schuster and Matías Almeyda. I'm really grateful that the Vancouver Whitecaps, Axel Schuster and Vanni Sartini, have given me this outstanding chance to work as the assistant coach with the first team. It's a big form of trust and I can't wait to pay it back."  

Florian Jungwirth - Career Accomplishments 

More than 400 appearances at the professional club level with six different teams

U-17 Bundesliga Champion & U-19 DFB Pokal Champion with 1860 Munich

Captained Germany's UEFA U-19 Championship winning team in 2008

Helped Dynamo Dresden gain promotion to the 2.Bundesliga

Helped SV Darmstadt 98 gain promotion to the Bundesliga

Named Defensive Player of the Year at San Jose Earthquakes in 2017 & 2019

2022 Canadian Championship winner with Whitecaps FC

Six goals, 10 assists across 155 appearances in MLS

"First of all, we want to congratulate Florian on an incredible career," said Axel Schuster, Whitecaps FC sporting director. "We are excited to have Flo join our coaching staff as he brings a wealth of experience having played in many competitions across the world. We have a number of young players on our roster and his first hand knowledge will provide a great resource for them." 

The native of Gräfelfing, Germany, who celebrates his 34th birthday today, ends his playing career having made 406 appearances for six different teams at the professional club level. Last year, Jungwirth was an assistant coach with the Whitecaps FC BMO MLS Academy U-16 side and earned his UEFA B Licence in December.

Jungwirth made 30 appearances across all competitions for Whitecaps FC and helped the club win the 2022 Canadian Championship.

The defender, who was also deployed as a defensive midfielder during his career, originally moved to MLS in 2017 when he joined San Jose Earthquakes. Across all competitions, Jungwirth made 135 appearances for San Jose, and was honoured as the club's top defensive player in 2017 and 2019.

Prior to his move to MLS, Jungwirth spent the first nine years of his professional career in his native country of Germany. He began his career with 1860 Munich's second team in 2008, after initially joining the club's youth system in 2000.

Following his time with 1860 Munich, Jungwirth joined Dynamo Dresden and helped them gain promotion from the German 3.Liga to the 2.Bundesliga in 2011.

Jungwirth eventually departed Dresden in 2013 to join fellow second division side VfL Bochum, where he started all 30 of his appearances in his lone season with the side.

In his last stop in Germany, Jungwirth spent three seasons with SV Darmstadt 98, helping the side gain promotion from the 2.Bundesliga to the Bundesliga in 2015.

At the international level, Jungwirth represented Germany at the youth levels and was the captain of the national team that won the 2008 UEFA U-19 Championship.

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