Former German footballer Thomas Berthold to run for president with AfD

According to reports in the German newspaper Die Zeit, the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) is planning to nominate former professional footballer Thomas Berthold as its candidate for the German presidential elections scheduled for January 30, 2027. The 62-year-old former central defender is known for his successful sports career, having won the 1990 World Cup with Germany and participated in the 1986 World Cup final, as well as the 1991 UEFA Cup final with Roma and the 1998 Cup Winners' Cup final with Stuttgart.

Berthold has been active in political discourse since the COVID-19 pandemic, though he has not previously held an elected office. The AfD reportedly chose him to represent the party in an effort to present a candidate from civil society. The upcoming election will determine the successor to the incumbent President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, a member of the Social Democratic Party, whose second term concludes on March 18, 2027. As Steinmeier is ineligible for a third term, the political landscape is preparing for a transition of the presidency in early 2027.