AfD reportedly to nominate 1990 World Cup winner Thomas Berthold for German presidency

The nomination report

The far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) is reportedly preparing to put forward Thomas Berthold, a former defender who won the 1990 World Cup with West Germany, as its candidate for the federal presidency. Bild first reported the plan, and Die Zeit, as relayed by Interia, said the party wanted a figure from outside the political establishment, someone drawn from civil society. The same reports said the nomination was due for final approval on Saturday, 14 November, and that Berthold had agreed to stand. The announcement was described as a formality. The reports came a day after Berthold's 62nd birthday on 12 November.

Berthold's background

Adevarul says Berthold was born on 12 November 1964 in Hanau, Hesse, and played for Eintracht Frankfurt, Hellas Verona, AS Roma, Bayern Munich, VfB Stuttgart and Adanaspor. He earned 62 caps for West Germany between 1985 and 1994 and scored one goal, having been runner-up at the 1986 World Cup before the 1990 title. After retiring he worked as a television commentator and expert, and Interia reports he was also one of the managers at Fortuna Düsseldorf. He has held no elected office, but he entered politics at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Interia reports he backed anti-vaccination movements and opposed pandemic restrictions.

Election timetable and rival candidate

Frank-Walter Steinmeier's second term ends on 18 March 2027, and he cannot seek a third, according to Adevarul. The Federal Convention (Bundesversammlung) of 1,260 members will elect his successor on 30 January 2027, and its members include Bundestag members and delegates chosen by the federal states. The CDU/CSU has put forward Ilse Aigner, who also has the backing of the SPD and the Greens, according to the Greek reports. German media forecast near-zero chances for Berthold, and Interia reports that Aigner remains the favourite.

Wider context

Adevarul notes that Berthold is not the only former footballer drawn toward the far right, and points to former Chelsea defender John Terry. It says Terry commented in April 2026 on an Instagram post by Rupert Lowe, founder of the nationalist party Restore Britain, whose agenda it describes as opposition to immigration and promotion of national culture and Christian principles. Interia describes the AfD as a far-right party that has recently gained popularity. According to Interia, observers broadly view the party as pro-Russian.