Germany fans seek hope as Klopp looms after World Cup exit

For Germany fans, the unthinkable has happened. Not only another early exit at a major tournament but a first World Cup penalty shootout loss. As the dust settles, the question every fan is asking is whether the German Football Association (DFB) will sack head coach Julian Nagelsmann and bring in Jurgen Klopp.

Nagelsmann under pressure after Paraguay defeat

Nagelsmann, the 38-year-old former Bayern Munich boss, refused to quit following Germany's painful last-32 defeat by Paraguay, saying, "I'm not someone who runs away." But German fans are in need of hope, and Nagelsmann simply cannot provide that at this moment. He hasn't done himself any favours with the way he communicates in public – easily irritable and brash. Meanwhile, charismatic Klopp, the former Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund boss, has been a star pundit on German TV during the World Cup, being his usual funny and charming self. Fans know that you cannot simply replace 20 players, but you can replace the manager.

Germany in danger of falling further behind

When Germany fans woke up on Tuesday morning, they surely felt embarrassed about what happened in Boston against Paraguay. Since their most recent World Cup success in 2014, Germany have twice failed to make it out of the group stage – in 2018 and 2022 – and lost in the first knockout match of the 2026 finals. Domestically, German football is booming. Bundesliga stadiums are packed; even third-division games attract tens of thousands of spectators each weekend. But a great football nation is in danger of falling behind on the international stage.

Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala, and Bayern Munich's latest rising star Lennart Karl are among a new crop of players that can excite fans, but the depth of extraordinary talent does not exist in Germany at this point in time. Following a quarter-final exit at the 1998 World Cup and an embarrassing group stage exit at Euro 2000, the DFB made fundamental changes to the nationwide development of youth players and the education of football coaches. Whether the DFB is capable of making substantial changes once again remains to be seen. Structural changes will need time, but a managerial change could happen almost immediately.

Nagelsmann's decisions under scrutiny

In the aftermath of Monday's loss, Nagelsmann rejected the notion that he should resign. Germany captain Joshua Kimmich said he hoped that Nagelsmann remains in charge, arguing that the team have been responsible for the embarrassing outcome of this World Cup campaign. "The fact of the matter is that we couldn't give the people at home [what we wanted]," said Bayern Munich's Kimmich. "That is a shame, especially in a time when it would have been good for Germany if we had something we could be proud of. The national team is not that."

It is commendable that Kimmich and others want to take the blame for the early exit. But the manager was in charge of this underwhelming campaign. Nagelsmann was responsible for the controversial return of 40-year-old goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who didn't look his best at times during this tournament. Nagelsmann was responsible for using Kimmich as a right-back instead of employing him in his usual role in central midfield. It was Nagelsmann's decision to rely on ageing players such as Leroy Sane and Leon Goretzka. Nagelsmann's contract, which was extended in early 2025, runs until after Euro 2028. It might be quite expensive for the DFB to sack the well-paid manager, but it could be the only way to make a fresh start.

'Embarrassment' – how German media reacted

German newspaper Bild described the result as "The next German football nightmare" and an "embarrassment," saying it was a "bitter night for the German national team." Bild columnist and former Germany captain Mats Hummel added: "There's definitely a need for consequences. This needs to be addressed – both by the national coach himself and by the federation. At the very least, there have to be discussions about it."