Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp could become the new German national team manager.
Image: AFP
Jurgen Klopp has told the German FA (DFB) he is "fundamentally willing" to take over as Germany head coach after Julian Nagelsmann handed in his shock resignation, the governing body confirmed on Friday.
Nagelsmann, who was under contract until 2028, stepped down from his post on Friday morning, just four days after Germany's deeply disappointing round-of-32 exit at the hands of Paraguay. In an official statement, the DFB revealed that formal discussions would imminently begin with Klopp, the former Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund manager, whilst thanking Nagelsmann for his almost three-year stint at the helm.
Klopp, who famously led Liverpool to Champions League and Premier League honours, is currently under contract as Red Bull's head of global football. However, Sky Germany reports that the charismatic tactician has a verbal agreement in place which would allow him to cleanly vacate that role to take up the national team vacancy.
Nagelsmann's sudden resignation comes a day after the 38-year-old was called into a gruelling three-hour debrief at DFB headquarters in Frankfurt to discuss his future. German tabloid Bild reported that the manager was offered a lucrative severance package of £5.9 million, roughly equivalent to one year's salary, to cut short his long-term deal.
"The decision was anything but easy for me," Nagelsmann admitted in a departing statement. "My top priority has always been the ultimate success of the team. After such a bitter disappointment, it deserves the chance of a clean break and a new beginning."
Nagelsmann also offered an unconditional apology to the fanbase for the nation's premature tournament departure.
"I am deeply sorry and hurt from the bottom of my heart that we disappointed you, and couldn't give you any more footballing nights at this World Cup finals."
DFB sporting director Rudi Völler sought to soften the blow, insisting that Nagelsmann "is and remains an excellent coach, and I am fully convinced that he will continue to follow his path successfully".
Germany's stunning loss to Paraguay is merely the latest in a devastating series of setbacks for the four-time world champions, who previously suffered consecutive, humiliating group-stage World Cup exits in Russia and Qatar.
The Germans have fared little better at continental level in recent years. Die Mannschaft were comprehensively eliminated by England at the round-of-16 stage in 2021, before losing to eventual champions Spain on home soil at Euro 2024.
By moving on from Nagelsmann immediately after this latest World Cup failure, the DFB hierarchy wanted to actively avoid a repetition of the stagnation seen in 2018 and 2022, when critics felt they held onto unsuccessful managers for far too long. Joachim Löw, a world champion in 2014, eventually left his position three years after the Russian disaster, whilst Hansi Flick departed a year after the Qatar debacle.
Nagelsmann's original appointment was widely considered a major coup for the DFB, with elite European clubs reportedly circling the progressive young manager at the time. Already the youngest head coach in Bundesliga history when he took over Hoffenheim aged just 28, Nagelsmann went on to manage domestic heavyweights RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich.
Initially appointed on a short-term rescue deal for Euro 2024, Nagelsmann signed an extension shortly before that tournament, followed by another lucrative renewal in January 2025, which was designed to take him through to the conclusion of Euro 2028.
Germany had shown genuine signs of a competitive revival under Nagelsmann at Euro 2024, winning their group before losing in extra time to eventual champions Spain in a closely fought quarter-final.
AFP