Jurgen Klopp, former Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund manager, has been appointed head coach of the Germany men's national football team with a contract running through the 2030 World Cup co-hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco [1, 2, 3]. The 59-year-old replacement for Julian Nagelsmann will officially begin his tenure on or after August 15, 2026 [2, 4].
Klopp signed a four-year contract with the German Football Association (DFB) following Germany’s disappointing round of 32 exit at the 2026 World Cup, marking their third consecutive early departure since their 2014 title win [1, 5, 6, 7]. "The national team can connect us Germans like hardly anything else. That's exactly what makes this task so special for me," Klopp said at his introduction [1].
His first match in charge will be an away UEFA Nations League fixture against the Netherlands on September 24, 2026 [5, 3]. Klopp will be assisted by Peter Krawietz, Pep Lijnders, and former Germany international Sven Bender [1, 2, 8]. The DFB also appointed Per Mertesacker as managing director for sport with a contract through 2030, starting January 2027 [1, 2, 9].
Klopp resigned as Liverpool manager in 2024 due to fatigue after nine seasons, then served as Red Bull’s Head of Global Soccer in 2025 before taking the German job [5, 6, 7]. The DFB made a €1 million donation to Red Bull’s Wings for Life foundation as part of Klopp’s release, instead of paying a transfer fee [10, 7].
At his first press conference, Klopp warned that he will quit if his family’s privacy is not respected. "If you behave badly and don't leave my family in peace then I'll be gone, I'll just turn away," he said [5, 11]. He called this role "the pinnacle of my career" and said he will have no further coaching career after it [5, 11].
Bernd Neuendorf, DFB president, said the association was unanimous in selecting Klopp and that discussions strengthened their belief he was "the right man at the right time" [1]. Despite recent setbacks, Germany has won four World Cups overall, the most recent in 2014 [1, 3].
Klopp’s contract and role officially start in mid-August 2026, with his first competitive match scheduled for 24 September in the Nations League.
