Analyze
The German Football Association has repeatedly wanted Jurgen Klopp to become the coach of the national team, and now this dream is likely to become a reality. The sports leadership hopes for one thing above all: a spirit of optimism. The 59-year-old has many skills, but there are also arguments against cooperation.
Every time a new national team coach was looked for in recent years, his name appeared in the media. However, this never became concrete: when Joachim Löw resigned in March 2021 and Hansi Flick was sacked in September 2023, Jurgen Klopp was unable to become Liverpool manager. Yet it always seemed like it was only a matter of time before Klopp became national coach.
Now it seems the time has come, with the DFB surprisingly open about talks with Klopp continuing. At first glance, this is an absolutely obvious choice: Klopp is one of the most successful active German coaches in history. With Borussia Dortmund he became German champion in 2011 and won the double in 2012, and with Liverpool he won the Champions League in 2019 and the league in 2020, as well as three cup victories.
Klopp brings authority like no one else
Klopp brings with him a wealth of experience as well as a proven ability to lead teams to success at the highest level. This can give him credibility: Klopp doesn’t have to prove anything to the players or the media. He is trusted, and even if he fails, it will last longer than lesser-titled coaches.
Can’t go any further: Klopp won the Champions League title with Liverpool in 2019
Since this is the case, the DFB is hoping for a second big benefit from this commitment: a new spirit of optimism. The entire German football world knows Klopp and has witnessed his enormous success. So who else could take the DFB back to its former glory than good old Kloppo?
Klopp’s strong point: communication
Apart from his sporting achievements, Klopp can create the desired euphoria primarily through his personality, or at least that is the idea. Klopp communicates well. In speeches and interviews, he combines competence with charm and humor, and the Swabian is sincere in his communication. Klopp has been considered a ‘catcher of men’ for many years now and it is a quality the German team could really use right now.
The DFB team failed to unite the country at the World Cup. Again. In fact, there has been an underlying dislike for the German team since the preliminary round in Russia in 2018. The only exception was the 2024 European Championship in our country, when under Julian Nagelsmann there was a positive trend. However, the mood among him also changed. Nagelsmann was not suited to the role of a long-term popular figure; Keyword: complex communication.
Successor and predecessor? Jurgen Klopp and Julian Nagelsmann here in 2017.
Does Klopp’s heart fly – even as a national team coach?
Klopp is just such a popular figure for many, even if his current job as “head of global football” at Red Bull has also attracted criticism. The DFB leadership, led by President Bernd Neuendorf, hopes that with his positive character he can provide a new beginning both at home and abroad: away from doubt, lethargy and despondency. To full throttle, euphoria and the mood for everything.
In each of his coaching positions at Mainz, Dortmund and Liverpool, Klopp remained in office for long periods of time, and a clear connection between coach and team was evident throughout. Thanks to his friendly nature, Klopp’s fans were by his side at every stop. Similar scenario in DFB? It’s possible.
Adored in Dortmund: Jurgen Klopp in fan choreo in 2024
Competence and power – is Klopp changing structures too?
Another thing that works in Klopp’s favor is that he has natural authority thanks to his CV. Sporting success, as well as a strong media presence over the decades and, more recently, a strategic position in the RB group: Klopp must have enough weight in terms of content to be willing and able to voice his opinions off the pitch.
It’s hard to imagine Klopp focusing solely on working with the team. He will also likely want to initiate structural changes – and in Joachim “Aki” Watzke, DFB vice-president, Klopp has a long-time confidante and supporter who can give him support. Repeated bitter disappointments in recent tournaments indicate that the DFB urgently needs new impetus.
Modified Study work for Klopp
Yet there may be doubts about this decision, starting with the fact that Klopp has never coached the national team. The training work is completely different compared to club football: with the DFB, Klopp only assembled his team once every few weeks, but at Liverpool & Co. he saw his players almost every day. Can Klopp become a player catcher even without such extreme proximity?
This leads to the question of whether Klopp’s coaching style is suitable for the DFB. Unlike Nagelsmann and other representatives of the younger generation of coaches, Klopp is considered more of a motivator. He is not a “laptop coach” or an absolute tactical fox. An emphasis on interpersonal relationships could help in his job as national coach, but Klopp will also have to work on the fundamental direction of the game – the national team has been searching for a clear idea on the pitch for many years.
Two-year break from coaching – now back at the helm
But Klopp is no longer the coach of the younger generation. It is not necessarily true that his current idea still works in modern football, as it did in Dortmund and Liverpool over the years. It has been more than two years since Klopp has been away as coach. “Today, that’s all for me as a coach. I didn’t leave on a whim, it was a common decision,” Klopp said during his strike.
“Global Head of Football” at RB Leipzig: Jurgen Klopp
Only time and, above all, results will show whether cooperation will work out if an agreement is reached. Depending on how the road to the 2028 European Championship goes, the narrative will be written for or against Klopp.