Jürgen Klopp has been named Germany coach, the former Liverpool manager given the task of rebuilding the struggling European giants, the national federation (DFB) announced on Friday.
Klopp’s appointment was widely expected for weeks, and his contract will see him through to the 2030 World Cup co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, as well as the three centenary matches planned for that year in South America.
The 59-year-old spoke publicly of his desire to take on the role after predecessor Julian Nagelsmann’s resignation earlier in July.
Nagelsmann fell on his sword after a disappointing last-32 defeat at the hands of Paraguay, Germany’s third consecutive early World Cup exit since winning the tournament in 2014.
As the German FA’s preferred candidate, Klopp’s willingness to take the job accelerated Nagelsmann’s departure.
“It’s a great honour for me to be sitting here today,” Klopp told a press conference called by the DFB to announce his appointment in Frankfurt.
“This is ideally the high point of my career, of my life, my professional life. I will give it everything I have,” he said.
However, he warned the assembled reporters that “if you tomorrow you start saying: ‘He’s crap’, then I’m off”.
DFB President Bernd Neuendorf said Klopp’s contract would start on August 15 and run until summer 2030.
Since 2025, Klopp has been under contract until 2029 with Austrian energy drink maker Red Bull as “Head of Global Soccer”, where he oversees the football clubs affiliated with the company, such as RB Leipzig, Red Bull Salzburg and the New York Red Bulls.
Neuendorf thanked Red Bull for their willingness to end the contract early as Klopp would need his “full concentration” for the new job.
The DFB did not have to pay a fee but will instead make a donation of a million euros ($1.1 million) to Red Bull’s Wings for Life charity foundation, which supports research into spinal cord injuries.
World Cup failure
Having repeatedly said his time in the dugout was over, Klopp returns with the mammoth task of returning the struggling Germans to the top of the international game.
Germany have won four World Cups — the equal most of any European team — and three European Championships, one behind record holders Spain, but have struggled in recent years.
The team crashed out of this summer’s World Cup after losing to Paraguay on penalties in the round of 32.
It was the third successive World Cup failure for the Germans since winning their fourth title in 2014.
In a decade since making the semi-finals of Euro 2016, Germany have won just one knockout match across three World Cups and two Euros.
Having also tasted success as manager of Mainz and Borussia Dortmund, Klopp stepped down as Liverpool coach in 2024 after a wildly successful spell, winning all available trophies.
Under Klopp, Liverpool won the Premier League to break a 30-year drought and lifted the Champions League trophy for the sixth time.
The DFB had long courted Klopp and believed he was the perfect candidate to take over from Nagelsmann.
Klopp will work alongside Rudi Voeller, the 1990 World Cup winning striker has been the team’s sporting director since autumn 2023 and whose contract runs for another two years.
The challenges facing Klopp and his staff are numerous.
The new coach will look to build the team round the young talent of Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala, both 23.
Joshua Kimmich has worn the captain’s armband since autumn 2024, but will be 33 by the time of Euro 2028.
In goal, Manuel Neuer came out of international retirement for one last stint at the World Cup at the age of 40.
Klopp’s hotly anticipated first squad will come in mid-September for four Nations League matches, the first being against the Netherlands on September 24.
AFP
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