Germany appoint Jurgen Klopp as national team coach

Jurgen Klopp has been appointed as the new head coach of the German national football team, the German Football Association (DFB) confirmed on Wednesday. The 59-year-old former Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund manager has signed a contract that runs until the end of the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

Klopp succeeds Nagelsmann after early World Cup exit

Klopp takes over from Julian Nagelsmann, who resigned following Germany's elimination in the Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup. Germany were beaten by Paraguay in a dramatic penalty shootout in Boston, marking another early tournament exit for the four-time world champions.

A glittering coaching career

Klopp brings a wealth of experience to the role. He led Borussia Dortmund to two Bundesliga titles and guided Liverpool to Premier League and UEFA Champions League glory, as well as winning the FIFA Intercontinental Cup. Most recently, he served as Head of Global Soccer at Red Bull.

Speaking at his unveiling press conference, Klopp said: "It is a great honour and a special day for me to be sitting here today. I already had some idea of the magnitude of the role of national team manager, but now I feel the scale and responsibility even more. I know where I come from, so it was unimaginable to me that this day would ever come. Ideally, this will be the highlight of my career."

Tasked with reviving German fortunes

Klopp's primary task will be to re-establish Germany as genuine contenders for major tournaments. Remarkably, Germany have not won a knockout tie at the World Cup since lifting the trophy in Brazil in 2014. They suffered group-stage eliminations at Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022, before the shock last-32 defeat in North America.

DFB President Bernd Neuendorf said: "He [Klopp] was our first choice from the very beginning; we pursued this plan very consistently, and our discussions with him have only further strengthened our conviction. Jurgen is a man who motivates players and teams and makes them better."

Coaching staff and playing philosophy

Klopp will be supported by long-time assistants Peter Krawietz and Pepijn Lijnders, as well as former Dortmund player Sven Bender, who joins the coaching team as an assistant.

On his vision for the team, Klopp added: "It's all about us playing better football. A stable line-up, a clear game plan and counter-pressing will be key factors in this. I've always been brave and will remain so. There'll be lads in the squad who might not even be expecting [to be there] today. Success is performance relative to expectations – and we need realistic expectations in Germany. I've seen three times [in Mainz, Dortmund and Liverpool] how successful football can transform a city. That's also possible on a national scale."

First match on the horizon

Klopp's first match in charge will be a UEFA Nations League clash against the Netherlands in Amsterdam on 24 September.