Juergen Klopp is in advanced discussions with the German Football Association (DFB) to become the next national team head coach, following Germany’s disappointing World Cup performance and the departure of Julian Nagelsmann.
IMAGE: Jürgen Klopp and Germany move closer to a potential deal. Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters
Key Points
- Germany’s DFB held initial, positive talks with Juergen Klopp in New York for the national team coaching role.
- Both the DFB and Klopp are confident of a successful negotiation, pending agreement with Red Bull.
- Klopp is the preferred candidate to replace Julian Nagelsmann after Germany’s early World Cup exit.
- Germany faced a third consecutive disappointing World Cup campaign, exiting in the round of 32.
- Klopp, a highly successful club coach, is a popular choice among German football fans.
Germany’s Football Association has completed first discussions with coach Juergen Klopp in New York, and is confident of a deal for him to take over the national team, the DFB said on Saturday.
DFB bosses are in New York for talks with Klopp, Red Bull’s Global Head of Soccer, who is also a pundit for Germany’s Magenta TV for the duration of the World Cup.
The DFB confirmed earlier in July that he was their preferred choice to succeed Julian Nagelsmann, who left following their shock World Cup round-of-32 exit to unheralded Paraguay.
DFB Confident In Klopp Negotiations
“DFB President Bernd Neuendorf and DFB Vice President Hans-Joachim Watzke held an initial, in-depth discussion with Juergen Klopp in New York yesterday regarding the possibility of him taking over as national team head coach. During this constructive exchange, an understanding was reached on the key terms of a potential contract,” it said in a statement.
“The talks will continue next week. Both sides are confident that the negotiations can ultimately be concluded successfully —subject to reaching an agreement with Klopp’s current employer, Red Bull.
“Any potential contract would require final approval at a joint meeting of the Supervisory Board and the Shareholders’ Meeting of DFB GmbH & Co. KG.”
Germany’s Recent World Cup Struggles
Germany’s defeat by Paraguay on penalties in the last 32 marked a third consecutive disappointing World Cup campaign for the four-time champions after group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022. They last lifted the trophy in 2014.
Nagelsmann had initially said he would like to stay on with a contract to 2028, but a few days after the team’s return to Germany the two sides agreed to part ways.
Klopp is considered the most popular choice among Germany fans, but caused a stir earlier in the World Cup, and had to apologise for hinting Nagelsmann’s time on the Germany bench could be running out.
One of the most successful German club coaches, Klopp, who won domestic league and Cup titles with Borussia Dortmund, was in charge of Liverpool from 2015 to 2024, leading the Merseyside club to almost every major honour during his nine-year spell, including Champions League and Premier League triumphs.
