Jurgen Klopp has tentatively accepted a position as the new head coach of the German men’s national team.
The former Liverpool manager met with senior officials from the German Football Association (DFB) in New York on Friday.
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While the DFB has stated that further discussions are scheduled for next week and that an agreement with Red Bull, where Klopp has been leading the global football operations since January 2025, is still pending, it seems imminent that Klopp will succeed Julian Nagelsmann, who resigned after the team’s disappointing exit from the World Cup.
“DFB President Bernd Neuendorf and Vice President Hans-Joachim Watzke engaged in detailed discussions with Jürgen Klopp in New York regarding his potential role as national team coach,” the DFB stated.
“During this constructive dialogue, they reached an agreement on the main elements of a prospective contract. Discussions will resume next week.
“Both parties remain optimistic that the negotiations – contingent upon an agreement with Klopp’s current employer, Red Bull – will ultimately conclude successfully.”
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Klopp is expected to finalize a four-year contract, marking his first coaching role since his nine-year stint at Liverpool ended in the summer of 2024, and his debut in international football.
Reunion of Klopp and Watzke
Klopp has been serving as a pundit for German television during the World Cup.
He has frequently been speculated to return to club management, with ties to Real Madrid being a notable mention in March, which he dismissed as “all nonsense”.
During his tenure at Liverpool, Klopp guided the club to seven major titles, including the Premier League championship in 2019-20 and the Champions League in 2019.
He also led Borussia Dortmund to two Bundesliga titles between 2008 and 2015, and spent seven years at Mainz 05, the club where he spent nearly his entire playing career.
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Watzke, 69, collaborated closely with Klopp at Dortmund, where he served as chief executive from 2005 until his resignation last year.
This relationship is considered instrumental in facilitating swift negotiations with one of football’s most coveted coaches as Germany aims to recover from a poor showing in the World Cup.
Germany exited this summer’s tournament in the round of 32, after losing to Paraguay on penalties, continuing a worrying trend of subpar performances at major tournaments.
Following Joachim Löw’s guidance, which led Germany to their fourth World Cup title in 2014, the team failed to progress beyond the group stage in both 2018 and 2022, with Hansi Flick heading the latter campaign.
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Nagelsmann took over from Flick in September 2023, initially under a contract set to last until the end of Euro 2024, which Germany was hosting.
They reached the quarter-finals before losing in extra-time to the eventual champions, Spain.
Nagelsmann’s contract was later renewed to cover this year’s World Cup and extended to Euro 2028, but he stepped down after his second major tournament.