Alexander Nouri has gone from leading teams on the touchline to overseeing McDonald’s restaurants as a franchise owner.
The former coach most recently worked in football with Greek side Kavala FC. Before that, the German had spells managing Werder Bremen, Hertha Berlin and Ingolstadt, and also served as an assistant to Jurgen Klinsmann in Berlin. Nouri earned his coaching credentials in 2016 alongside current Germany national team manager Julian Nagelsmann.
After stepping away from Kavala in 2022, Nouri still received approaches from lower-division clubs in Germany as well as teams in the Middle East. Even so, he chose not to return to the game because, as he put it, it no longer suited him.
“The job is so demanding that it needs 100 per cent of you,” he told The Athletic. “If you do it with 98 percent, it’s not right.”
These days, his focus is on running two McDonald’s locations in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, which he took over at the start of 2026.
Nouri said the switch came after he felt his career in football had reached its natural conclusion. He rose to prominence at Werder Bremen in 2016, where he was promoted from U23 coach to head coach. He guided the club to Bundesliga survival and nearly led them to Europa League qualification before being dismissed in October 2017 following a slump in form.
“I just felt at this moment, this was the end of that life story (in football). And so I have to begin something new.
“It wasn’t a decision only of myself. It was a decision with my family, and we made it together after years of constant moves and uncertainty in professional soccer. We felt it was the right time to build a more stable future together.”
Explaining why he chose McDonald’s, Nouri said the company ‘gave me the chance to build something as an entrepreneur’.
The McDonald’s website describes becoming a franchisee as ‘a stable, long-term investment of your time, energy and money that delivers excitement, choice and security for your future’.
It adds: “Becoming a McDonald’s restaurant owner is a business journey that can take you from your first site to five, 10 or more.
“You’ll impact local life and create opportunities for people by combining your leadership skills with our franchise model.”
The Athletic reported that the process of becoming a franchisee takes about a year. To qualify as a franchisee, Nouri completed rigorous training that included grilling burgers and working the kitchen line himself. He took over his two restaurants in North Rhine-Westphalia in January 2026, with locations in Würselen and Herzogenrath.
“It was a long process,” he said. “Maybe about three years after leaving coaching, I reflected on what I really wanted from the next chapter of my life. I realised I was looking for stability.
“I realised I was looking for the chance to build something over the long term and the opportunity to create lasting impact.”
Nouri said he approaches the role with humility. “I’m not going in there saying ‘I know how it works,'” he explained. “I’m here to learn.” He draws parallels between managing football teams and running restaurants, noting that in both contexts it comes down to understanding people and what motivates them to perform well.
Nouri also said the instability of football management had taken a toll on family life, with contracts often expected to last three years but regularly ending much sooner.
The dad-of-two reflected: “It’s a big challenge for your family. I was always looking for this stability. In professional football, it’s rare and only a few have the chance to build something in the long term.”