Ralf Kettemann: Who is the man who led Paderborn back to the Bundesliga?
Ascending to the top flight after a 2-1 aggregate victory over Wolfsburg in the promotion play-off, Paderborn will play Bundesliga football for only the third time in their history in 2026/27, with Ralf Kettemann the coach to have delivered their return to the top tier of German football in his first season in charge at the club.
Data correct as of 26 May 2026
Ralf Kettemann
Age: 39 (born 20 August 1986)
Club: Paderborn
Role: Head coach
Country: Germany
Key stats
You’d be forgiven if Kettemann’s is a name you may struggle to place from his playing days. After all, the 39-year-old – formerly a midfielder by trade – spent his entire career as a player in the lower leagues, climbing no higher than the 3. Liga with any of his former employers.
An academy player at Ulm, Kettemann never made his debut for the Sparrows, instead making the switch to TSV Crailsheim, before going on to play for the likes of Greuther Fürth’s reserves, Stuttgarter Kickers and VfR Aalen.
In May 2011, aged just 24, Kettemann announced his retirement from professional football due to frequent, repeated injuries. He would, however, remain closely tied to the footballing world, assuming the role of player-manager at TSV Ilshofen in the seventh tier of German football.
Kettemann initially acted as assistant to head coach Marco Wildersinn before being handed the reins proper. He earned two promotions in eight years, leading Ilshofen to the Oberliga Baden-Württemberg in 2018, before leaving in summer 2019 to join Hoffenheim's reserves as assistant coach.
Kettemann spent just one season on Hoffenheim’s books, however, departing in summer 2020. A few months later, in March 2021, Karlsruhe unveiled Kettemann as coach of their U19s ahead of the 2021/22 season.
Kettemann enjoyed a four-year spell at the south-west outfit, honing his craft with the youth side before being appointed as Lukas Kwasniok’s successor at Paderborn ahead of the 2025/25 Bundesliga 2 campaign. It marked his first senior appointment at a professional club.
Paderborn’s gamble on Kettemann certainly paid off. The young coach guided his side to a third-placed finish - boasting a record of 18 wins, eight draws and eight defeats across 34 league fixtures - before downing Bundesliga giants Wolfsburg 2-1 on aggregate in the promotion play-off to secure Paderborn’s return to the German top table.
Coaches a bit like: Julian Nagelsmann
Much like the current Germany boss, Kettemann's style places a great emphasis on entertaining football and controlling matches by maintaining possession of the ball, whilst also valuing hard work and developing young talent. The similarities go yet further with both coaches having come into the business at a comparatively young age, and both with Hoffenheim, no less.
Did you know?
Kettemann has cited former Mainz and Borussia Dortmund head coach Jürgen Klopp as his biggest coaching idol, not just for his tactical brilliance and success, but also for his "great personality".
What they’re saying
“With Ralf Kettemann’s appointment, we are continuing to consistently follow the Paderborn path in the head coach position. His teams are distinguished by the quality of their play as well as their flexibility, which makes him an ideal fit for our requirements profile. In addition, Ralf is very good at working with young players and helping them develop further.” – ex-Paderborn sporting director Benjamin Weber
