Jurgen Klopp is open to becoming Germany's next head coach — and talks with the German Football Association are now expected after Julian Nagelsmann resigned on Friday morning following a penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay in the last 32.
Nagelsmann had publicly insisted he wouldn't quit. Then Germany lost in Boston, the scrutiny intensified, and within days he was gone. The four-time world champions are out of the tournament, their manager is out of a job, and the man who has been sitting courtside with a microphone for MagentaTV is suddenly the frontrunner to replace him.
The exit clause that changes everything
Klopp stepped away from Liverpool in the summer of 2024 after nearly nine years at Anfield, citing the need for a break. He has since taken up the role of global head of soccer for the Red Bull group — but reports out of Germany suggest he has a clause in that agreement allowing him to leave if the national team came calling.
That call has now effectively been made.
When asked directly in the US whether he'd consider the Germany job, Klopp kept his cards close: "I haven't thought about that yet. I understand that my name is being mentioned now, but it's not the time to talk about that." That's not a denial. That's a man watching the door open.
The 'still' controversy that haunted the tournament
The build-up to these talks has a layer of awkwardness to it. Earlier in the tournament, Klopp sparked a minor storm in Germany after appearing to question Nagelsmann's position by using the word "still" when referring to him picking the team. Lothar Matthaus was among those who hit back, questioning whether Klopp would have appreciated the same treatment during a Champions League campaign.
Klopp apologised directly after Germany's 7-1 win over Curacao, calling himself an idiot on live television: "I'll be 59 the day after tomorrow, and I'm still an idiot." The self-deprecation landed. The controversy faded. And now the man he inadvertently undermined has vacated the seat Klopp is being asked to fill.
Germany's next manager will inherit a squad with genuine quality but a nation demanding more than last-32 exits. Whoever takes the job needs credibility, charisma, and the stomach for that kind of pressure. Klopp has all three. The DFB knows it. So do the bookmakers — he was installed as favourite the moment the final whistle blew in Boston.
