Jürgen Klopp has reached an agreement on the key points to become the next Germany head coach, the German football association (DFB) announced. The 59-year-old is expected to sign a contract until 2030, succeeding Julian Nagelsmann after Germany's early exit from the 2026 World Cup.
Talks in New York
The DFB statement revealed that president Bernd Neuendorf and vice-president Hans-Joachim Watzke held their first in-depth talks with Klopp yesterday in New York. The constructive exchange resulted in an agreement on the key points of a potential contract. Talks will continue next week, with both sides confident that negotiations—subject to an agreement with Klopp's current employer, Red Bull—can be successfully concluded. Any final contract requires approval from the DFB GmbH & Co. KG supervisory board and shareholders' meeting.
Nagelsmann's Departure
Germany topped their World Cup group with a game to spare but lost to Ecuador in their third match and were eliminated by Paraguay on penalties in the last 32. Nagelsmann initially expressed a desire to continue, stating, "I am not someone who runs away," but on 3 July, it was confirmed that the former Bayern Munich manager would step down. The DFB confirmed his contract, which ran to the 2028 Euros, would end with immediate effect, and that Klopp had indicated his readiness to take over.
Klopp's Recent Activities
Klopp has been out of management since leaving Liverpool at the end of the 2023-24 season, having led the club to Premier League and Champions League glory. He subsequently became Red Bull's head of global soccer and worked as a pundit for German TV at the World Cup. His commentary stirred controversy when he suggested Deniz Undav should start ahead of Jamal Musiala, and after criticism from Lothar Matthäus, he remarked, "Julian Nagelsmann is still picking the team—for now." The comment drew criticism from former players Andreas Möller and Stefan Effenberg, prompting Klopp to apologize, saying he felt like "punching himself in the face." He added, "It just slipped out so casually and has absolutely no meaning. I'll be 59 the day after tomorrow and I'm still an idiot. We're completely on your side. Nothing will be done to disrupt the process."
