World Cup 2026: Germany seek talks with Jurgen Klopp as Julian Nagelsmann resigns

World Cup 2026: Germany seek talks with Jurgen Klopp as Julian Nagelsmann resigns

The German football association (DFB) is seeking talks with Jurgen Klopp to become the men's national team coach following the resignation of Julian Nagelsmann on Friday, July 3, 2026.

The DFB confirmed that the 59-year-old former Liverpool manager has already signaled his general willingness to take on the position. Klopp has been out of management since leaving Liverpool in 2024 and currently serves as Red Bull's head of global football, a role he began in January 2025. This position involves overseeing a network of clubs, including the New York Red Bulls and RB Leipzig.

Nagelsmann, 38, requested to be relieved of his duties on Thursday after Germany's early exit from the World Cup. The DFB immediately granted that request, terminating their contractual relationship with the former Bayern Munich boss. This comes despite a contract extension signed in January 2025 that would have kept him in charge through Euro 2028.

World Cup Exit and Tactical Criticism

Germany bowed out of the tournament on Monday after a penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay in the last 32. The match ended 1-1 before Paraguay won 4-3 on penalties, marking Germany's first ever World Cup defeat by that method. The four-time winners have not won a World Cup knockout game since their 2014 victory and have failed to reach the last-16 stage in three successive tournaments, including group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022.

Nagelsmann's tenure at the World Cup was marked by an indifferent group stage. While the team defeated Curacao 7-1 in their opener and beat Ivory Coast, they lost their final group game to Ecuador. Critics pointed to defensive fragility and an inability to create chances as persisting weaknesses.

Tactical decisions drew scrutiny, specifically Nagelsmann's choice to play captain Joshua Kimmich as a right-back rather than in his usual midfield role. Other decisions included recalling 40-year-old goalkeeper Manuel Neuer—who has since confirmed his second international retirement—despite Oliver Baumann playing in all six qualifiers, and returning Leroy Sane to the starting line-up.

Former Germany defender Arne Friedrich told BBC Radio 5 Live that the loss to Paraguay was deserved based on the team's play, stating: Nagelsmann has to face the consequences. Former midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger told BBC One that Germany's problems were unacceptable.

A Shift in Stance

The resignation followed an initial determination by Nagelsmann to stay. Immediately after the Paraguay match, he stated: I'm not someone who runs away. However, in his Friday statement, Nagelsmann admitted the decision was anything but easy but argued that after such disappointment, the players deserve the chance for a fresh start.

DFB president Bernd Neuendorf noted that Germany's performance did not meet our standards. Meanwhile, sporting director Rudi Voller said Nagelsmann's decision deserved respect because he was putting the national team above himself.

The Return of Klopp

Klopp’s presence at the tournament as a pundit for MagentaTV had already created a narrative of succession. Before the opening game, Klopp joked while discussing line-ups with Thomas Muller: Fortunately, Julian Nagelsmann is picking the team - still.

When questioned by MagentaTV on Monday about the job, Klopp stated it was not the moment to talk about it, noting: I have a job that I enjoy very much. As far as I know, it’s not a part-time job.

The DFB may face a significant financial hurdle in securing Klopp. He earns approximately £8.5m per year at Red Bull, which is £2.5m more than Nagelsmann received. However, it is understood a clause in his Red Bull contract allows him to leave if the German national manager role becomes available.

Klopp's immediate objective will be qualifying for and competing in Euro 2028. The DFB is also facing further leadership changes; sporting director Andreas Rettig will leave at the end of the year after deciding not to extend his contract.

Germany's next match is a Nations League opener against the Netherlands on September 24, followed by group stage matches against Greece and Serbia through November.