FREIBURG, Germany (AP) — Freiburg has hired former player Julian Schuster as its new coach to replace Christian Streich, who is stepping down at the end of the season after more than 12 years in charge.

It’s the first head coaching job for Schuster, a former midfielder who played 242 games for Freiburg before moving into a variety of youth and assistant coaching roles at the club under Streich.

“Being head coach of SC Freiburg means the world to me but it’s also going to be a challenge. I’m confident that I’ll be able to undertake this task successfully and have full faith in my ability,” Schuster said in a statement. “That being said, I’m going to stay humble and treat the position with respect.”

Streich has been in charge since December 2011 and will leave a rich legacy at Freiburg. Streich took the club to its first German Cup final in 2022 and to the Europa League last 16 twice, including this season.

Like Schuster, Streich was originally promoted from within Freiburg’s coaching setup. He has worked with the club for 29 years since joining as an Under-19s coach in 1995.

Freiburg is in ninth place in the 18-team Bundesliga.

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