St. Louis City hires former player with unique career as sporting director

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ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - St. Louis City SC has made it's first major hire, just days after unveiling its crest and name. The all player personnel decisions for the newest Major League Soccer franchise will be run through Lutz Pfannenstiel.

Pfannenstiel was announced as the team's sporting director via a tweet on Monday afternoon. It's soccer's equivalent to a general manager or president of baseball operations in MLB:

NOW ARRIVING---- -> ✈️ -> ----#stlCITYsc | #OurCITYOurSpirit pic.twitter.com/60M0tjhLNt

— St. Louis CITY SC (@MLS4theLou) August 17, 2020

Pfannenstiel is a former goalkeeper who played for an unprecedented 27 different clubs all around the world during his career from 1991 to 2011. He's the only player that's played professionally in all six FIFA confederations.

In an interview with The Athletic, he called MLS the "fastest and best growing leagues in the world," adding that he's always watched American-born players such as St. Louis native Josh Sargent, who is making a name for himself in international games for his club in Germany. 

Related: Twellman: St. Louis City SC will help a city that 'needs to be transformed'Related: ST. LOUIS CITY: The newest MLS team name announced

Good to be here! #stlCITYsc https://t.co/9dfTjxFEul

— Lutz Pfannenstiel (@1_LPfannenstiel) August 17, 2020

“I did have options in England and in Italy, and in other countries, but once we did start to talk to St. Louis and the ownership I liked the idea of the whole situation,” Pfannenstiel told The Athletic. “After looking always a lot in the international and global scene, once I saw what is possible here in this town, with this club, for me it is one of the most exciting projects in world football at the moment."

“Lutz brings an unrivaled level of international soccer expertise to our club that will not only help establish, but maintain a culture that brings championship-level soccer to the St. Louis region,” said Carolyn Kindle Betz, CEO of St. Louis City SC. “We cannot wait for him get started as we welcome him to one of the best sports cities in the country!”

In his post-playing career, he's held roles such as coach, technical director and scout with teams in Germany, Norway and others. He most recently was the sporting director of Fortuna Düsseldorf in the Bundesliga – Germany's top division of soccer.

MLS’s 28th team officially unveiled their team name, St. Louis City SC last week. St. Louis City is the only majority female-led ownership group in the league. 

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