Jurgen Klopp's name has come up in conversations about who could become Real Madrid manager this summer, but the Liverpool legend will not be heading to the Bernabeu
20:02, 30 Apr 2026
Liverpool legend Jurgen Klopp watches a game between Red Bull Bragantino and Palmeiras.
Liverpool legend Jurgen Klopp watches a game between Red Bull Bragantino and Palmeiras.(Image: Ricardo Moreira/Getty Images)
Liverpool legend Jurgen Klopp has been inevitably linked with the vacancy at Real Madrid ahead of the summer, but the German has no interest in taking over from Alvaro Arbeloa.
The ex-Liverpool right-back took over from the former Reds midfielder Xabi Alonso at the turn of the year when the latter was fired. While Arbeloa wasn't announced as an interim, the expectation was that a more permanent appointment would be made in the summer. Real Madrid has been knocked out of the Champions League, and the La Liga title looks to be heading to Barcelona.
This week, Jose Mourinho has been heavily touted as the favorite for the role, with Florentino Perez seemingly set to go back to the Portuguese in a bid to get back on track.
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Real Madrid is also said to have considered Didier Deschamps, Mauricio Pochettino, and Massimiliano Allegri. Mourinho would be the biggest name of the lot, though he has not been at the very top of the game for some time.
The Spanish outlet AS reports that Klopp has no interest in moving to Real Madrid, and there is only one job that would tempt him to return to coaching: with the German national team.
At the moment, that role is held by Julian Nagelsmann. He will lead Florian Wirtz and co into the World Cup, with Klopp set to be a pundit on German television, running the rule on his country and the rest.
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp(Image: PETER POWELL / AFP via Getty Images)
"I hope Flo Wirtz will have a fantastic, fantastic World Cup," Klopp said earlier this week. "I think he has everything you need to be a standout player.
"I don't want to put any pressure on the boy. I really think he showed already how good he can be in a difficult season."
Several Liverpool players will be at the tournament in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
"I hope my players will have a great World Cup," Klopp added. "I hope that Andy Robertson and Alisson Becker can enjoy that when they meet each other.
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"Can you imagine that you play together for such a long time and Scotland qualifies for the first time, I don't know, since when, for the World Cup, and you meet each other, your friends, your mutual friends, and you meet each other in a game like that?
"I mean, that must be one of the happiest moments in your life. I wish Virgil (van Dijk) will have a great tournament. I really wish for Mo (Salah) that he will have a great tournament.
"I honestly wish that Sadio (Mane) will have a great tournament. Macca (Alexis Mac Allister), if he won, if they win it again. It was so nice to see him with a medal around his neck when he came back to Brighton.
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"So many (of my) former players are part of the World Cup, which is really, really nice. And to see how time flies."