Jurgen Klopp's style of management makes him the outstanding candidate to take the Real Madrid job, according to a former World Cup winner
Former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp continues to be linked with a return to management
Former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp continues to be linked with a return to management (Image: Getty Images)
View Image
Jurgen Klopp's style of management makes him the outstanding candidate to take the Real Madrid job next season, according to former Arsenal and Chelsea star Emmanuel Petit.
Klopp hasn't been a manager since leaving Liverpool in 2024 and has been working as Red Bull's global head of soccer since the beginning of 2025.
Despite repeatedly insisting he enjoys his role at the top of the Red Bull stable, Reds legend Klopp continues to be linked with a return to the dugout, with the German admitting this week it is a possibility at some stage.
Real Madrid have been without a permanent head coach since Xabi Alonso left in January with former Liverpool defender Alvaro Arbeloa currently overseeing things in a temporary role.
FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FC FACEBOOK PAGE!All the latest news and analysis from Anfield on the Liverpool Echo's dedicated LFC Facebook page
And while 2020 Premier League winner Klopp claimed speculation of the Real Madrid job is "nonsense", Petit, who won the World Cup with France in 1998, believes the ex-Liverpool boss has the perfect set of skills to thrive in the Spanish capital.
"At Real Madrid, you don't need a manager with a vision," Petit told BetGoat. "'I want my team to play like this'. No, at Real Madrid, you need someone who can manage the egos in the dressing room.
"You don't ask your players, 'I want you to play like this'. We are at Real Madrid. Those guys, most of them are among the best in their position in the world.
"Who am I to tell them I want you to play like this? I mean, those guys know what to do on the pitch. You only need to manage the dressing room.
"When you go against the players in the dressing room, then the trouble starts. It was the case for Xabi Alonso. He had a fight with so many players, especially Vinicius. Vinicius was not even starting in the first 11.
"He was making comments against his manager in the press. So when you start having trouble like that, it's the beginning of the end for the manager because the players always win the battle.
"So as I said, for me you need someone with great personality who can be strong but as well can show humanity to his players. Just like Zinedine Zidane did, he was such a great player so he's got the charisma for it as well.
"Jurgen Klopp has been mentioned, Jose Mourinho? No. I mean, it would be interesting for me to see Klopp. I have huge respect for Mourinho.
"But with what happened both times against Benfica, the comments he made with Vinicius (and allegations of racist abuse from Gianluca Prestianni), things like this, I don't think he's coming at the end of the season.
"Except if Vinicius leaves the club, because [Mourinho] has said so many things, and I think the Real Madrid fans didn't like it. For me, my only option would be Klopp."