Jürgen Klopp has officially taken up his post as the new head coach of the German national team. At his introductory press conference in Frankfurt, the 59-year-old made it clear that the German national team is facing a complete overhaul following its disappointing World Cup elimination against Paraguay. Klopp not only discussed his athletic vision but also sent a clear message to FC Bayern.
With a contract running through the 2030 World Cup, the former coach of Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool FC is tasked with leading the DFB squad back to the top of the world. Klopp will make his debut on the sidelines on September 24 in the Nations League match against the Netherlands.
Even at his inaugural press conference, the new national team coach made it clear that he had carefully analyzed the past few months. “We’re going to leave no stone unturned,” Klopp announced, while also making it clear that Germany must first develop realistic expectations again.
“People ask: Are we as good as France? And the answer is no—so that’s not right,” explained the 59-year-old. While France certainly possesses tremendous quality, Germany can still beat any opponent.
Klopp wants to bring back the excitement
For Klopp, however, it’s not just about results. Rather, he wants to strengthen the fans’ connection to the national team once again. “It’s been a while since I’ve watched international matches left and right around major tournaments. I’d really love for all of us to watch every international match again,” said the new national team coach. Successful soccer can “change a country,” Klopp emphasized.
The 59-year-old has also already outlined his basic game plan. High-pressing will continue to play a central role, while at the same time he wants to establish a stable basic formation and a clear playing philosophy.
“High-pressing will be a key focus, along with a stable formation and a clear soccer philosophy,” Klopp explained. At the same time, he announced changes compared to some top Bundesliga teams like FC Bayern: “We won’t play man-to-man defense. But the best team in Germany plays man-to-man defense.”
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Looking ahead to the World Cup, Klopp also made a clear observation: “The teams that won the tournament played with four at the back. We’ll do that, too. We’ll also play with wingers. Today’s playmakers are on the wings.”
A clear message to FC Bayern
Particularly interesting from Munich’s perspective was Klopp’s statement on the relationship between the DFB and FC Bayern. With Klopp himself, assistant coach Sven Bender, and DFB Vice President Hans-Joachim Watzke, three figures with a Borussia Dortmund background now hold key positions within the association.
However, Klopp made it clear that this will not influence player selections. “Bayern doesn’t need to worry that, just because Aki, Sven Bender, and I are here now, we’ll only call up Dortmund players—or because I used to work at RB,” Klopp stated unequivocally.
With this statement, the new national team coach is likely sending an early signal, above all, to the numerous Bayern players on the national team. For Klopp, the only things that matter are performance, quality, and the right attitude—regardless of which club a player represents. The foundation for the announced fresh start at the DFB has thus been laid.