​At least one German has enjoyed a good World Cup. Jurgen Klopp has bought a Stetson and strolled down a Texas street with Thomas Muller, adopting a cowboy stance. He celebrated his 59th birthday, serenaded by Muller among others. He has developed a bromance with Muller and is poised for a new job, seemingly without Muller tagging along.
Not everything has been rosy, though. Klopp had to apologise to Julian Nagelsmann for claiming the younger man was the Germany manager “for now,” a line that sounded even worse when spoken by his likely successor. Although the inference was accurate, Nagelsmann is no longer Germany’s manager. Even Germany’s wunderkind, who greeted Paraguay’s exit with a defiant vow to continue, may have recognized a new reality. He was pursued across the United States by his eventual successor, while Klopp has already begun talks about taking over. That should be straightforward. Technically, Klopp still holds a role as Red Bull’s Global Head of Soccer, which did not stop him from taking a few weeks off to team up with Muller for a punditry double act that, from afar, looked to be the standout entertainment of the World Cup. Klopp’s humor, quotability and camera-friendly persona helped raise his profile in Germany as a World Cup pundit as far back as 2006.
Now, the aim may be to lead his country at the 2030 tournament. Germany feels like one last grand project—the only one Klopp truly wants. His camp moved quickly to distance him from Real Madrid after Enrique Riquelme’s declaration that he’d be Madrid’s first-choice coach. Upon leaving Liverpool, Klopp stated he wouldn’t manage anyone else in England, repeatedly rejected Bayern Munich, and has never seemed tempted to return to Borussia Dortmund. Seeing Klopp two years ago, when he stunned Anfield with his resignation, suggested he would only come back to the dugout for Germany. He shouldered a heavy burden at Liverpool, realizing he couldn’t delegate to others to the same extent—partly because no one else has his presence and force of personality—and he wore down. International management can feel like a form of semi-retirement; meanwhile, Klopp built his dream house in Wiesbaden, conveniently near the German FA’s headquarters in Frankfurt.
In recent years Klopp has spent time playing padel, joining Instagram, traveling the world and holding a senior role with the Red Bull group, which has replaced several coaches, some of whom, like Ole Werner at Leipzig, had performed well. This has helped explain why his popularity in Germany has dipped; aligning with the corporate behemoth makes it harder to appeal as the people’s champion. Yet, the former “trivago guy” retains commercial appeal for sponsors. Still, Klopp possesses the talent to make people feel good—and to boost SEO, if nothing else.