Jurgen Klopp is set to become Germany’s next head coach. The former Liverpool manager has reached an agreement in principle with the German football association (DFB) after meeting senior officials in New York on Friday, the BBC reports. He replaces Julian Nagelsmann, who resigned following Germany’s early exit from the 2026 World Cup. For England — managed by a German in Thomas Tuchel — the oldest rivalry in the international game just got a fresh subplot.
Agreed in Principle, Not Yet Signed
The deal is close but not done. The DFB said further talks are planned for next week, and an agreement still has to be reached with Red Bull, where Klopp has been head of global football since January 2025. That release is the only genuine obstacle left.
Klopp has been at this World Cup working as a pundit for German television, analysing week by week the failings of the side he is now going to manage. DFB president Bernd Neuendorf is leading the negotiations personally — a sign the federation wants this wrapped up fast.
Why Nagelsmann Walked
Julian Nagelsmann resigned after Germany’s early elimination from the 2026 World Cup. Appointed in September 2023, he had steadied a side in freefall and reached the quarter-finals of a home Euro 2024. The failure in America ended him.
His successor is the opposite type. Nagelsmann is a whiteboard tactician; Klopp is a galvaniser, a manager who runs on emotion and intensity. That, plainly, is what the DFB has decided a fractured dressing room needs.
What It Means for England
Germany under Klopp becomes a harder opponent for England, and the reason is specific: gegenpressing punishes teams who build slowly from the back. That is precisely how Tuchel wants England to play, with the centre-backs stepping in and the ball worked through midfield.
There is an irony no one in either camp will miss. England are managed by a German who won the Champions League in England; Germany will be managed by a German who did the same. Tuchel and Klopp know each other’s football intimately from the Premier League. The next England-Germany fixture is now must-watch.
The Job Klopp Always Said He Would Not Take
Klopp has never managed a national team. He has always said he preferred daily work, the training pitch, the long build. Taking Germany means surrendering all of that for a rarer, more political role.
But the record speaks: a Champions League and a Premier League at Liverpool, two Bundesliga titles at Borussia Dortmund. Above all, the ability to make an entire squad believe in one idea. A Germany side low on confidence is betting on exactly that.
FAQ
Is Klopp officially the Germany head coach?
Not yet. He has agreed a deal in principle. The DFB has further talks planned next week and still needs an agreement with Red Bull, his current employer.
Why did Julian Nagelsmann resign?
He resigned following Germany’s early exit from the 2026 World Cup. He had been in charge since September 2023.
What was Klopp doing before this?
He has been Red Bull’s head of global football since January 2025, and has been working as a pundit for German television during this World Cup.
Has Klopp managed an international team before?
No. This would be his first job in international football. His career has been built at clubs: Mainz, Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool.
How does this affect England?
A Klopp Germany presses high, which directly targets the patient build-up Thomas Tuchel wants from England. It also sets up a fascinating Tuchel-versus-Klopp subplot in the next meeting between the two nations.
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