Benjamin Kugel, aged 46, has been appointed as the new fitness coach of FC Barcelona for the 2026/27 season. His professional football career began after a chance encounter with Klaus Allofs, general director of Werder Bremen, where Kugel subsequently worked.
Kugel’s background includes time in Germany and Brazil, where as a young man he organized sports activities for street children and played handball in the national third division. In 2014, he was part of the coaching staff of the German national team that won the World Cup, working alongside Hansi Flick.
He has worked with Roger Schmidt’s teams—Salzburg, PSV, and Benfica—which are known for aggressive pressing that aligns with Flick’s coaching philosophy. Kugel co-authored a book on training world champions with Nicklas Dietrich and participated in a 2020 study on muscle injury prevention, collaborating with professionals from major European leagues, including Barcelona’s medical director Ricard Pruna.
Kugel emphasizes player education on nutrition and muscle function, advocating high-intensity exercises to reduce injury risk during sprints.
Regarding his approach to integrating into a new club, Kugel advises observing the existing team and gaining trust without asserting ego: "Before restructuring a department, you need to observe. Be a good person, earn trust, and don't dictate from above."
