Germany appoint Klopp as ex-Liverpool coach sought to lift World Cup blues

Germany's football federation turned to Jurgen Klopp to restore the national team's competitive standing after years of disappointing World Cup performances. The appointment represents a significant move for a program that has struggled since winning its fourth World Cup title in 2014. Klopp brings extensive experience from successful tenures at multiple elite clubs across Europe.

The 59-year-old coach departed Liverpool in 2024, citing exhaustion from the demanding role. During his time at the English club, he delivered a league championship in 2020, ending a three-decade drought, and secured a Champions League title—the club's sixth European crown. His earlier career included successful spells at German clubs Mainz and Borussia Dortmund, where he established himself as one of his generation's most accomplished managers.

Klopp's contract with the German Football Association is expected to extend until 2030, aligning with the next World Cup cycle. The appointment follows the dismissal of Julian Nagelsmann after Germany's disappointing exit from this summer's World Cup, where the team lost to Paraguay on penalties in the round of 32. Germany has now suffered three consecutive World Cup disappointments, with first-round eliminations in both 2018 and 2022.

Red Bull, where Klopp held the position of Head of Global Soccer since 2025, released him from his contract without a transfer fee. Instead, the energy drink company made a one-million-euro donation to Red Bull's Wings for Life charity foundation, which supports spinal cord injury research. This arrangement allowed both parties to part amicably while supporting a charitable cause.