Miroslav Klose’s Nuremberg making early promotion statement in Bundesliga 2

Miroslav Klose, the FIFA World Cup’s all-time leading scorer for much of the past decade, is beginning to translate his striker’s instincts into coaching results. His 1. FC Nürnberg side has opened the 2026-27 Bundesliga 2 season with three consecutive victories, matching the club’s record for the best start to a second-division campaign set in 1999-2000. With 11 goals scored and a place atop the table on goal difference, the Franconian club is generating early talk of a promotion challenge.

The former Germany international took charge of Nuremberg in the summer of 2024 after previous spells as head coach of Austrian side Altach and assistant roles with the German national team and Bayern Munich. His first two seasons in charge produced eighth- and 10th-place finishes, neither of which threatened the promotion places. This season, however, has begun with a different rhythm.

A perfect start and a club record

Nuremberg’s opening fixtures have been anything but straightforward. They beat Dynamo Dresden, Greuther Fürth and Arminia Bielefeld — three sides with their own ambitions in a notoriously competitive division. The 4-1 victory over Arminia Bielefeld was particularly emphatic, showcasing the attacking fluency Klose has worked to instill.

The run has also included progress in the DFB Cup, with Nuremberg advancing via a penalty shootout to remain unbeaten in four competitive matches this season. For a club that has not played in the Bundesliga since relegation at the end of the 2018-19 season, the early momentum is significant.

Mohamed Ali Zoma emerging as key weapon

Central to Nuremberg’s fast start is forward Mohamed Ali Zoma. The striker scored 14 times last season and has already found the net four times in the opening three league matches. For Klose, a striker who scored more than 250 competitive club goals and 71 times for Germany, watching a forward hit form is a familiar sight.

Zoma’s finishing has given Nuremberg a reliable outlet in attack, and his movement has created space for teammates in a system that appears more confident than in previous campaigns. The team’s 11 goals across three matches represent the kind of output that can sustain a promotion push if maintained.

What this means for Nuremberg and Klose

Bundesliga 2 is known for its unpredictability. Three wins do not guarantee a top-two finish, and the season remains long. But for a club that has spent seven years outside the top flight, any sign of sustained improvement is meaningful. For Klose, the stakes are personal: he has yet to lead a team to the Bundesliga as head coach.

The 48-year-old’s coaching journey began with the German national team as Joachim Löw’s assistant from 2016 to 2018. He then coached Bayern Munich’s U17s before joining Hansi Flick’s senior staff. A difficult spell at Altach in Austria followed before Nuremberg gave him his second head-coach role. The early returns this season suggest the lessons from those experiences are taking hold.

Next test and promotion context

Nuremberg’s next fixture is a trip to winless Holstein Kiel. Victory would give the club its best-ever start to a Bundesliga 2 season outright — a small but meaningful marker. Hertha Berlin sit level on points behind Nuremberg on goal difference, and several other clubs remain within striking distance.

Promotion in May remains a distant target. But after two seasons of consolidation, Nuremberg have given their supporters reason to watch the table with renewed interest. For Klose, the man who scored the most important goals of his career on the biggest stages, the challenge now is to guide a club back to the top flight — and prove that greatness as a player can, in his case, translate to success as a coach.

Source: Bundesliga — Can Miroslav Klose turn goalscoring greatness into coaching success at Nuremberg? (https://www.bundesliga.com/en/2bundesliga/news/can-miroslav-klose-guide-nuremberg-to-promotion-38941)