Jurgen Klopp’s new job finally took centre stage on Thursday.
The man who spent almost nine years reshaping Liverpool stood in front of the media in Frankfurt, no longer talking about Anfield but about a project he inherited from Julian Nagelsmann.
UK ONLY
It was his first real test since taking the Germany job in July. After a World Cup that ended in humiliation for Die Mannschaft, expectations were always going to be high for whatever came next.
Thursday’s press conference was billed as the moment Klopp would show his hand.
The German FA had scheduled it weeks in advance, aware that the newly merged international break would force him into decisions no previous national coach had faced.
What he delivered was one of the largest squads in recent German football history, and a subplot that will resonate on Merseyside long after the headlines fade.
Klopp named 44 players on Thursday, splitting them into two groups to cover Germany’s four Nations League fixtures across the newly combined September–October window.
The first squad travels to Amsterdam to face the Netherlands on September 24 before hosting Greece in Augsburg three days later.
The second squad hosts Serbia in Munich on October 1 and closes the window away to Greece in Thessaloniki on October 4.
Nico Schlotterbeck, Jamal Musiala and Serge Gnabry could feature across both camps, Klopp said, while goalkeeper Finn Dahmen was named in both groups as the head coach looks to assess him more closely.
“I want to get to know as many players as possible,” Klopp told reporters. “There is no A or B team. The squads are put together in a way that makes sense on the pitch and in terms of character and experience.”
Sixteen uncapped players were included across the two groups. Hoffenheim’s Bambase Conte, Stuttgart defender Finn Jeltsch, Celtic’s Mika Baur and Freiburg’s Derry Scherhant were among the standout inclusions.
Eintracht Frankfurt forward Younes Ebnoutalib was also handed a debut call-up, with Klopp describing him as a “huge talent” and saying he was “hugely delighted” to include him. Elversberg’s Felix Keidel, a 23-year-old who has made just three Bundesliga appearances, rounded out the surprises.
“We’ve got a few guys here who will surprise you, but we see something in the guys and want to be there for their development,” Klopp said. “Lots of talent has caught our eye, so much that some aren’t even included.”
Marc-Andre ter Stegen, now on loan at Ajax, was confirmed as first-choice goalkeeper for the opening fixtures, with Nubel of Besiktas and Dahmen providing cover.
Noah Atubolu, Dahmen and Jonas Urbig were named for the Serbia and Greece fixtures. Hoffenheim’s Oliver Baumann, who deputized for Neuer through World Cup qualifying, was left out entirely. Joshua Kimmich retains the captaincy.
One notable absentee will draw particular attention from Liverpool supporters.
Loris Karius, who Klopp signed for Liverpool from Mainz in 2016 and later made his No. 1 at Anfield, was left out of both squads despite a strong start to the season with Schalke 04.
Karius has not represented Germany at senior level.
His performances for newly promoted Schalke, including a man-of-the-match display against Bayern Munich, had fueled speculation over a possible recall from his former manager, with Karius himself confirming there had been “no contact” from Klopp in the build-up to the announcement.
Jürgen Klopp’s first Germany squad 🇩🇪
The new national team coach called up 44 players, split into two groups.
It includes 11 debutants!
There’s no room for Deniz Undav, Oliver Baumann, and Leroy Sané… #DFBTeam pic.twitter.com/wB9M6MOCAm
— DW Sports (@dw_sports) September 17, 2026
Support DaveOCKOP and enjoy the site completely ad-free. You’ll get an uninterrupted browsing experience while helping us continue to deliver the latest Liverpool news, breaking stories and exclusives. Go ad-free today.