Messiah or papering over cracks? Klopp must sway doubters in Germany rebuild

What the report says

BBC Sport reports that Jurgen Klopp has been appointed Germany head coach after Julian Nagelsmann resigned following Germany’s World Cup exit on penalties against Paraguay. Klopp, 59, has signed a deal described as running through 2030, with responsibility for Euro 2028 and the 2030 World Cup. His first match is scheduled against the Netherlands on 24 September.

The appointment brings one of Germany’s most successful modern coaches into the national job after major club achievements with Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund, including Premier League, Champions League and Bundesliga titles. BBC Sport says the German football association made Klopp its top target after Nagelsmann’s departure, with DFB president Bernd Neuendorf praising his passion and ability to inspire. Klopp is expected to build his staff around former Liverpool assistants Pep Lijnders and Peter Krawietz.

The move has generated both optimism and resistance. BBC Sport cites a Kicker poll in which 80% of readers backed Klopp as the right choice, while former players and club figures suggested he could reconnect the team with supporters and restore belief. But criticism has focused on Klopp’s recent association with Red Bull, unpopular among many German fans because of concerns over its club ownership model and the 50+1 supporter-control principle. Some fan representatives and former DFB figures objected to any continuing Red Bull role.

The wider issue is whether Klopp can solve problems beyond coaching. Germany’s men have failed to reach the last 16 at the past three World Cups, and BBC Sport notes that Klopp himself has called for broader reform across German football. His tenure will be judged not only by immediate results but by whether he can help revive a struggling national identity.