Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp revealed on Friday that he has engaged in talks with the German Football Association (DFB) regarding the possibility of taking over as the national team coach following Julian Nagelsmann’s departure.
The DFB confirmed Nagelsmann’s exit on Friday, just four days after Germany’s surprising elimination from the World Cup at the hands of Paraguay in the round of 32. The federation acknowledged that Klopp had already been approached about the coaching vacancy.
Bernd Neuendorf, president of the German football association, expressed gratitude towards Nagelsmann, stating, “We extend our sincere thanks to Julian Nagelsmann for his efforts since September 2023. His dedication and ambition have been remarkable.”
– Jürgen Klinsmann: Germany’s World Cup exit to Paraguay ‘an embarrassment’
– Jürgen Klopp takes a jab at Arsenal after VAR controversially disallows German goal
The DFB is now planning to engage Klopp in further discussions concerning the head coach position, and he has indicated a general willingness to take on the role.
Later that day, during his role as an analyst for Magenta TV, Klopp confirmed the discussions, stating, “Yes, I can confirm the talks. Julian has stepped down, and the DFB is strategizing a succession plan, which is why they reached out to me.”
Germany’s penalty shootout loss to Paraguay marked their third consecutive early exit from the World Cup, following their failures to progress past the group stages in 2022 and 2018.
Klopp has not managed a team since leaving Liverpool in 2024. He took on the role of head of soccer at Red Bull in January 2025 and mentioned on Friday that the time to return to coaching was “better than it’s ever been.”
While acknowledging that the timing is not ideal due to his contract with Red Bull, Klopp expressed optimism, saying, “It is better than it has ever been.” He also emphasized that after stepping down from Liverpool, he felt drained and lacked the energy for another year—now he feels fully recharged.
As a Premier League and Champions League winner at Anfield, Klopp stated he would need to discuss his current contract with Oliver Mintzlaff at Red Bull. Nonetheless, he believes that no one would impede his desire to pursue the Germany coaching position.
He commented, “While I have an existing contract with Red Bull and usually respect that, I am very interested in these discussions. However, intensive conversations will be necessary, as it’s crucial to recognize that the issues Germany faced were not a reflection of Julian Nagelsmann’s abilities.”
Klopp acknowledged Nagelsmann as an exceptional coach who will have numerous opportunities to showcase his talents throughout his career.
Nagelsmann took over as head coach of Germany in 2023, becoming the nation’s second-youngest coach at just 36 years of age. The former Bayern Munich manager guided Germany to the quarterfinals of Euro 2024 and had extended his contract through Euro 2028 in January 2025.