Borussia Dortmund have extended sporting director Michael Zorc’s contract until 30 June 2019.

”Michael Zorc stands for Borussia Dortmund like no-one else. He’s been at the club since 1978 and has celebrated a great deal of success, first as a player, then as sporting director. That we wish to continue working together for the next five years demonstrates how much we value and trust the high quality of Michael’s work,” said Borussia Dortmund CEO, Hans-Joachim Watzke.

In October 2013, BVB extended the contracts of head coach Jürgen Klopp and his assistants until 30 June 2018.

And the latest move is a further sign of structural and personnel continuity at Borussia Dortmund, German champions in 2011 and 2012, double winners in 2012 and Champions League finalists in 2013. “I sense that we haven’t reached the end of our development yet. I see it as our joint responsibility to build on the success of recent years and establish Borussia Dortmund at the summit of German football and as a permanent fixture in the UEFA Champions League in the long-term,” said Michael Zorc.

The 51-year-old Zorc was born in Dortmund and made 463 appearances in the Bundesliga (scoring 131 goals), 66 in European competition (13 goals) and 28 in the German Cup (10 goals) for BVB. The seven-time German international scored 49 of the 57 penalties he took in his career and is rated as one of the deadliest players from the spot in Bundesliga history. He holds the record for the number of appearances for Borussia Dortmund and only Manfred Burgsmüller has scored more goals in the black-and-yellow shirt.

After a triumphant end to his career, which culminated with the German title in 1995 and 1996, as well as winning the Champions League in 1997, Zorc moved into a management role. In 2005, his job description was adapted to incorporate the extended responsibilities that come with being a “sporting director”.

During Michael Zorc’s reign as sporting director, Borussia Dortmund have celebrated three German championships, two appearances in a European final (UEFA Cup 2002; UEFA Champions League 2013) and a German Cup title. Zorc is responsible for the entire football department at BVB, reaching all the way down to the youth teams.