Jürgen Klopp, 59, has been announced as Germany’s new national team manager on a four-year contract that runs through the 2030 World Cup. The appointment marks his return to frontline coaching after stepping away from Liverpool following a nine-year tenure and spending two years in a role as head of global football at Red Bull.
Asked in January 2025 whether he was retired, Klopp responded in a video shared with his 6 million Instagram followers that he was not a football manager any more but had “changed job” at Red Bull. Despite that statement, the former Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund boss had been linked to a number of coaching opportunities during his hiatus, including speculation about a move to Real Madrid.
Klopp occupied a prominent public role at the recent World Cup, working as a pundit for German broadcaster MagentaTV and witnessing Germany’s shock exit after a penalty shootout loss to Paraguay in the round of 32. That defeat left Julian Nagelsmann’s position untenable and heightened interest in Klopp as a likely successor.
In public remarks this month Klopp acknowledged that about two years ago he left Liverpool because he lacked the energy to continue, but said he is now “more than recharged” and ready to work again. He had earlier told Liverpool fans in January 2024 that he was “running out of energy” and that he owed them the truth about his inability to continue indefinitely.
During his time away from club management Klopp maintained a visible profile, entertaining fans with punditry and commercial work. He appeared in television adverts for Budweiser and Trivago, was seen interacting with players such as Kylian Mbappé, and featured in viral clips alongside Germany veteran Thomas Müller. His Red Bull role allowed a separation from day-to-day club duties and, according to the account of his post-Liverpool choices, afforded him more time with family before accepting the national team position.
