Jurgen Klopp appointed Germany manager on four-year deal as former Liverpool boss promises he will quit role if family are mistreated
Updated 24/07/2026 at 13:55 GMT+1
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Former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has been named Germany manager, replacing Julian Nagelsmann who resigned after a disappointing last-32 exit to Paraguay on penalties at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. And he has already issued a warning that he will walk away from the job if the media invades his family's privacy.
'Leave my family alone or I'm out' - Klopp gives ultimatum after becoming Germany manager
Video credit: SNTV
The four-time world champions are rebuilding after suffering a third poor FIFA World Cup campaign in a row, following group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022.
Nagelsmann, 39, was given the task of ending the 12-year wait to add a fifth star and became the youngest coach to lead a team in a World Cup knockout match in four decades.
But the former RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich boss, who was appointed in 2023, stepped down from the role following his side's last-32 exit in North America.
Before that, Germany reached the quarter-finals at Euro 2024 on home soil in his first tournament in charge, before they were beaten by eventual winners Spain.
Now it is Klopp's turn in the hot seat, and he was in bullish mood at his official unveiling on Friday, after what he perceived was unfair treatment of his predecessor.
"I’m not doing this job for myself," said Klopp, who has signed a four-year deal until 2030.
"I'm doing it for you. I’m taking this job even though I've seen how you've treated Julian Nagelsmann. I’m taking it even though I’ve seen how you’ve treated Thomas Tuchel.
"If you go after my family, I’m gone. If you think I’m rubbish, tell me to my face, and I’ll leave immediately, without asking for any compensation."
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Jurgen Klopp speaks at his press conference on Friday
Image credit: AFP
Klopp won six trophies in nine memorable years as Liverpool boss - and he now succeeds Nagelsmann having worked as a pundit for German television in North America during the tournament.
"The national team can connect us Germans like hardly anything else," said Klopp, who will oversee the UEFA Euro 2028 and 2030 FIFA World Cup campaigns.
"That's exactly what makes this task so special for me. I'm grateful for everything I have experienced and learned in the last year and a half at Red Bull and for the openness that has made this agreement possible in the first place.
"Now, I'm looking forward to this special task in German football, which we will tackle together with humility and patience: to develop a team that fights for each other, that enjoys football and behind which the people of our country can rally with full conviction."
Klopp was global head of football at Red Bull and had made no secret he would be open to any proposal from the German Football Association.
Peter Krawietz, Pep Lijnders and Sven Bender will form part of his backroom staff, with the former two having been Klopp's assistants at Liverpool.
Meanwhile, Per Mertesacker is to step down from his role as manager of the Arsenal Academy to succeed Andreas Rettig as the DFB's new managing director sport, starting his new position on January 1, 2027.
President of the German FA Bernd Neuendorf said: "Jurgen stands for passion, credibility and the ability to take people with him like few others. After the resignation of Julian Nagelsmann, he was our unequivocal first choice for the office of national coach.
"That's why we have consistently tried to get him. I would like to thank everyone who paved the way for this cooperation, especially Oliver Mintzlaff for the constructive discussions and his cooperative attitude, as well as Aki Watzke for his great support."
DFB sporting director Rudi Voller added: "Jurgen has proven over many years at the highest level that he develops young players and that his teams perform under pressure. He is also a great motivator who will take our fans and German football with him. I am looking forward to working together."
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'I would have loved it' - Klopp defends hydration breaks but admits they are 'definitely too long'
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Klopp can begin the rebuild ahead of the UEFA Nations League campaign in September, and a trip to the Netherlands in his first game in charge.
The former Borussia Dortmund manager is widely regarded as one of Germany's most accomplished club managers, having enjoyed remarkable success with Dortmund, winning multiple Bundesliga titles and the DFB-Pokal before taking charge of Liverpool in 2015.
Over the course of nine years at Anfield, he transformed the club into one of Europe's dominant forces, delivering UEFA Champions League glory in 2019 and the club's first league title in three decades in 2020, before departing in 2024.
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Klopp's reputation has been built not only on his achievements but also on his straightforward, engaging communication style.
In contrast, Nagelsmann's approach has at times been viewed as more combative, with some critics describing it as abrasive or overly self-assured.
Germany finished top of Group E on goal difference after opening their campaign with a 7-1 demolition of World Cup debutants Curacao, followed by a 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast.
A 2-1 defeat to Ecuador in their final group match was not enough to deny them first place going into the knockout stages.
But then it all went wrong for the Germans, who won their fourth World Cup in Brazil in 2014.
Klopp's appointment also marks a significant milestone for the German Football Association, which has paid compensation to secure a head coach for the first time.
He was under contract with Red Bull until 2029, although his deal included a clause allowing him to leave if the Germany job became available.
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