Ottmar Hitzfeld discusses 2004 burnout experience

Football coaching legend Ottmar Hitzfeld has spoken openly about suffering from burnout syndrome in 2004. In an interview with Kicker, the 77-year-old described experiencing insomnia and depression during that period.

Hitzfeld revealed that his mental health struggles led him to decline an offer to become the head coach of the German national football team, succeeding Rudi Völler. He stated the offer came at the wrong time because he felt exhausted and lacked his full strength. He noted that as a coach, he felt he could not afford to complain about his well-being while needing to maintain a strong persona.

To recover, Hitzfeld sought help from Professor Florian Holsboer, then director of the Max Planck Institute in Munich. He credited his family with providing significant strength during the crisis, noting that the constant pressure to focus on the next match was a heavy burden.