Klopp appointed Germany head coach, replaces Nagelsmann after World Cup exit

Jurgen Klopp has been named Germany head coach, succeeding Julian Nagelsmann after the country's shock last-32 exit at the 2026 World Cup. Klopp has signed a deal running to 2030 and was presented in Frankfurt on Friday, ending a two-year break from management following his Liverpool exit in 2024.

Jurgen Klopp is Germany's new head coach. The German Football Association confirmed the appointment on Friday, ending weeks of speculation. He replaces Julian Nagelsmann, who resigned after Germany crashed out of the World Cup at the last-32 stage, beaten on penalties by Paraguay.

Klopp has signed an initial four-year contract, beginning on 15 August 2026 and running through to 2030. He was presented by the German Football Association in Frankfurt on Friday.

Terms of the deal

Klopp signed the contract to coach Germany through to the 2030 World Cup, the federation confirmed. Getting him out of his previous role took some work behind the scenes. His release from Red Bull, where he was head of global soccer, was secured through a €1 million donation from the German federation to the company's Wings for Life foundation, along with an agreement to play three internationals in Leipzig by 2030.

His backroom staff have followed him from Liverpool. Pep Lijnders, who recently left Manchester City after Pep Guardiola's departure, and Peter Krawietz will both be part of the coaching team, along with Sven Bender, the former midfielder who played under Klopp at Borussia Dortmund. Per Mertesacker also joins the federation as its new managing director for sport, overseeing the men's national teams.

Why Germany turned to Klopp

Nagelsmann's exit had been coming since the Paraguay defeat. The federation thanked him for his work since September 2023, with its president, Bernd Neuendorf, praising his commitment and ambition. Nagelsmann had replaced Hansi Flick in 2023 and became the country's second-youngest coach at just 36.

Klopp was the obvious name for the federation. Talks were held in New York, with both sides confident of concluding an agreement pending his exit from Red Bull. He had already made his interest clear in an interview weeks earlier. "About two years ago I stopped at Liverpool and said that I lacked the energy for another job or for another year with Liverpool. Since then I'm more than recharged, I'm ready," he told German broadcaster Magenta TV.

Klopp left Liverpool in 2024 with six trophies won at the club in nine years, including the Champions League and Premier League. Since then, he had been working as Red Bull's global head of football and, more recently, as a World Cup pundit for Magenta TV.

What Klopp said

Speaking after the appointment was confirmed, Klopp reflected on what the role means to him. "The national team can unite us Germans better than anything else. That's what makes this role so special for me," he said. "I'm grateful for everything I got to experience and learn over the last 18 months with Red Bull."

He was careful to play down expectations, though. "Jurgen Klopp being in the job doesn't automatically mean we're going to be world champions," he said. "Success is performance vs expectations. We need a new set of expectations."

He also had a message for the media covering his tenure, having watched the scrutiny Nagelsmann faced. Klopp warned he will walk away from the job if he and his family are not treated with respect, telling reporters to "leave my family in peace."

Asked about his relationship with the man he has replaced, Klopp was clear there had been no falling out. "I've had no contact since the World Cup," he said, as quoted by Sky Sport.

What happens next

Klopp's first assignment arrives quickly. He faces four Nations League games in 11 days against the Netherlands, Greece and Serbia in late September and early October. He has already started thinking about how he will work day to day. "I don't know what my daily routine will be like yet; I'm almost glad it doesn't start tomorrow," he said. "I live in Wiesbaden and will certainly be in Frankfurt often. I'll watch games in every country our players are in. I think it's more important to have more contact with the players than just watching them play."

Germany's players will hope Klopp's arrival draws a line under a difficult summer. His task now is to rebuild a squad that fell short at the World Cup, with September's Nations League fixtures the first real test of how far that rebuild has come.