Jurgen Klopp has not worked in soccer management since leaving Liverpool two years ago, but the German coach is poised to make a stunning comeback over the coming weeks
12:49, 15 Jul 2026
Jurgen Klopp is set to become Germany's new head coach
Jurgen Klopp is set to become Germany's new head coach(Image: Getty Images)
Jurgen Klopp is on the verge of being appointed Germany's new head coach after the German Football Federation (DFB) reached an agreement with Red Bull, his current employer.
The former Liverpool boss is the overwhelming favorite to take charge of his country's national team following Julian Nagelsmann's recent departure. Nagelsmann was fired after Germany suffered a shock defeat to Paraguay in the last 32 of this year's World Cup.
It's believed there was a meeting on Tuesday between DFB chiefs and Red Bull's CEO, Oliver Mintzlaff, to discuss releasing Klopp from his contract. Klopp has been Red Bull's head of global soccer since the beginning of 2025, having left Liverpool the previous summer.
Klopp's contract with Red Bull runs until 2029. According to German news agency DPA, Red Bull is willing to release Klopp from his contract to take the Germany job. It's unclear at this stage whether he will continue working for Red Bull in some capacity.
Klopp is expected to meet Mintzlaff ahead of Sunday's World Cup final in New Jersey. The former Reds boss is currently in the United States working as a pundit for MagentaTV.
Klopp is viewed as one of the best managers in European soccer after winning two Bundesliga titles with Borussia Dortmund and several trophies with Liverpool, including the Premier League title and Champions League.
Klopp hasn't coached since leaving Liverpool two years ago
Klopp hasn't coached since leaving Liverpool two years ago(Image: Getty Images)
The German coach stepped down from his role at Anfield at the end of the 2023/24 season, citing a lack of energy. He has consistently quashed speculation about a return to club management and stated that he is enjoying his role with Red Bull.
But coaching his national team is an entirely different prospect. Becoming Germany's boss would not expose Klopp to the day-to-day rigors of club management, with intensity and scrutiny only increasing around international breaks and major tournaments.
Yet reviving Germany's national team will not be easy. The Germans are among the most successful nations in soccer, having won the World Cup four times and the Euros three times.
But they've struggled to challenge for major honors since lifting the Confederations Cup in 2017. Germany crashed out at the group stage of both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. At the Euros, the team reached the last 16 in 2020 and the quarterfinals in 2024.
Assuming he takes the job, Klopp will be expected to lead Germany into the latter stages of Euro 2028, due to be hosted in the United Kingdom and Ireland. He'll also be expected to make a deep run at the next World Cup in Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
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Klopp was asked about replacing Nagelsmann immediately after Germany's World Cup exit. He said: "I haven't thought about that yet.
"I've often been in that situation myself as a coach, where a big dream has been shattered. I understand that when people talk about the national coach, my name is mentioned. But it's not the right moment to talk about it, especially not with me.
"I have a job that I really enjoy. And as far as I know, it's not a part-time job. The fact is, Germany was eliminated today, and this is not the moment for me to think about Jurgen Klopp's future."