Klopp handed long Germany tenure as fans hail ‘saviour’ and critics fear only short-term fix

Jurgen Klopp has been appointed Germany head coach on a contract until 2030, tasked with leading a full-scale rebuild of a troubled national side at what he describes as the “most special” moment of his career.

The 59-year-old will take charge for the first time on 24 September, when Germany face the Netherlands in the UEFA Nations League, and is set to guide the team through Euro 2028 and the 2030 World Cup under the terms of his deal with the German Football Association (DFB).

Klopp watched Germany’s most recent World Cup campaign from pitchside as a television analyst, witnessing their surprise exit on penalties against Paraguay a few weeks ago. That defeat triggered the resignation of head coach Julian Nagelsmann and plunged German football into another bout of soul‐searching.

“The national team can unite Germans in a way very few other things can, and that makes this job incredibly special for me,” Klopp said after his appointment was confirmed three weeks later.

DFB president Bernd Neuendorf insisted Klopp was the outstanding candidate from the moment Nagelsmann walked away.

“Jurgen embodies passion, authenticity and the ability to inspire people,” Neuendorf said. “After Julian Nagelsmann’s resignation, we had no better option, so we worked as hard as we could to get this deal done.”

Klopp’s track record fuels ‘saviour’ narrative

Klopp arrives with one of the most decorated CVs in modern German coaching. He won the Champions League and Premier League with Liverpool, having previously captured two Bundesliga titles with Borussia Dortmund.

His reputation for reviving struggling teams has led many in Germany to cast him as a potential “saviour” of the national side, which has lost much of its aura over the past decade. In a recent poll by German magazine Kicker, around 80% of respondents named Klopp as the ideal choice to take over the national team.

The former Mainz, Dortmund and Liverpool manager will not be alone in attempting to change Germany’s fortunes. He is bringing with him two trusted lieutenants from Anfield, Pep Lijnders and Peter Krawietz, in an effort to replicate the dynamic that underpinned Liverpool’s resurgence in England.

Many observers argue that Germany have missed a powerful personality and a relentless winning mentality in recent years – qualities frequently associated with Klopp. At Liverpool he popularised the phrase “mentality monsters” to describe a side that consistently prevailed in high-pressure situations.

Former Germany international Stefan Effenberg believes that mindset is exactly what the national team has been lacking, suggesting Klopp can give the side “a new spirit of optimism”.

Borussia Dortmund chief executive Carsten Cramer told Kicker he expects Klopp’s influence to extend beyond tactics and team selection.

“I think he embodies many of the qualities that German football – and German society – are missing at the moment,” Cramer said.

Red Bull role and fan anger cloud bright start

Despite the wave of optimism, Klopp’s appointment is far from universally celebrated. He has faced fierce criticism since joining the Red Bull group in 2024 as global head of football, a move many fans saw as a betrayal of long‐standing German football traditions.

Red Bull has long been attacked within Germany for its multi‐club ownership model and for what critics view as an attempt to circumvent the “50+1” rule, which is designed to keep control of clubs in the hands of their members and supporters.

Tensions rose further in July, when reports suggested Klopp could remain an ambassador for Red Bull even after taking the national job, prompting an angry backlash.

“This is absolutely unacceptable. Red Bull is trying to gain control over key positions in football,” former DFB president Theo Zwanziger told the Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper.

Supporters’ group Unsere Kurve also condemned the notion that commercial interests might shape the national team’s leadership, arguing the DFB must resist the influence of money.

Spokesman Thomas Kessen warned against hailing Klopp as a messiah without reservation. “Before we describe Klopp as the saviour, we should remember how much credit he has lost with fans, especially among Borussia Dortmund supporters,” he said.

Questions over DFB process and ‘temporary solution’ fears

The controversy around Klopp’s corporate ties has been matched by unease at how quickly the DFB moved to secure him. Former World Cup winner Bastian Schweinsteiger questioned whether the federation had properly explored alternatives.

“It’s natural that Klopp would be the first choice, but when you see the DFB delegation fly straight to New York to finalise the deal, it seems rushed,” Schweinsteiger told German media. “People are entitled to ask: were there any other options at all?”

He also cautioned that Klopp might ultimately prove only “a temporary solution”, arguing that Germany’s football crisis is too deep to be fixed by one man – comments reported by BBC.

Germany at a crossroads

Germany are enduring their worst spell for decades, having failed to reach the last 16 at each of the past three World Cups. Within the country, many voices argue that the problems run through the entire football structure, not just the national-team coaching set-up.

Klopp has previously expressed similar concerns. Speaking to Magenta TV before taking the job, he said: “I have repeatedly said that the issue is not just about the coach.”

“German football is standing at a crossroads, and there are many things that need to change,” he added.

His first competitive fixtures will come in the Nations League this autumn, but the real measure of his impact is expected to be Euro 2028, to be staged in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

That tournament could carry particular emotional weight for Klopp. Germany may play matches in Liverpool if they are assigned to Everton’s new stadium, Hill Dickinson, though Anfield is not among the venues.

Only then will it become clear whether the man who restored Liverpool to the pinnacle of club football can orchestrate a similar transformation with Germany – or whether the malaise surrounding the Mannschaft runs deeper than any coach, however revered, can repair.