Julian Nagelsmann's future as Germany head coach has been the subject of speculation, with Jurgen Klopp having joked about the national team coach's position — prompting DFB chiefs to publicly back their man
09:25, 28 Jun 2026
Jurgen Klopp continues to be linked with the Germany job
Jurgen Klopp continues to be linked with the Germany job(Image: Getty Images)
Germany's soccer chief, Rudi Voller, has reaffirmed his backing of Julian Nagelsmann following the country's shock World Cup loss to Ecuador.
Nagelsmann's position came under scrutiny after Jurgen Klopp made light of the head coach's prospects, having himself been touted for the role. However, the former Liverpool boss may have overstepped the mark if he harbored ambitions for the Germany role.
While Nagelsmann declined to seek an apology from the Red Bulls' global head of soccer, Germany's footballing leadership has made its stance on its manager abundantly clear. Despite the setback, the national side's sporting director, Voller, was keen to champion Nagelsmann's credentials.
The 66-year-old, who netted 47 times in 90 international appearances, evidently shares a robust working relationship with the head coach, even being described as a soccer father figure.
"I'm not sitting here because I have to protect Julian," he stated at a press conference. "This isn't just something I say because I have to in my official capacity, but Julian is an absolutely top-class coach.
"He knows that being the national coach means that many people will have different opinions on decisions. But he's experienced enough to handle that."
Julian Nagelsmann is under pressure
Julian Nagelsmann is under pressure(Image: Getty Images)
There has been considerable frustration in the wake of Germany's defeat to Ecuador, though the team had already secured its place in the knockout stages after victories over the Ivory Coast and Curacao. Given the disappointment of the previous two World Cups, in which the side was eliminated at the group stage, Voller believes it is far more prudent to focus on the positives.
"Two or three weeks ago, we all would have been perfectly happy to be top of the group after just two matchdays," he said.
"Of course, we wanted to maintain our momentum against Ecuador, but it's only human to be a few percentage points short against an opponent for whom it's the game of games. Everyone knows that.
"I am completely calm and relaxed; the team will give it their all on Monday (against Paraguay). The basic circumstances were different. For Ecuador, that was the game of the games of the last 20 or 30 years. Things weren't much better for us back then, even when we had progressed further."
Voller's defense of the team follows his earlier show of support for Nagelsmann. Earlier this month, he confirmed that Nagelsmann would remain at the helm beyond the 2028 Euros.
Article continues below
"The DFB is completely satisfied with how Julian is doing," he said. "What happens after Euro 2028, I can't yet say in his case. But definitely until 2028.
"Julian is a top coach. He is extremely empathetic. I know how he deals with the players. You couldn't wish for anything better."
While that may have been the DFB's stance, Klopp's quip certainly seems to have prompted Voller and his colleagues to reinforce their position.