Jurgen Klopp has reached an agreement in principle to become the next Germany head coach, with the German Football Association confirming talks in New York have produced a deal on the key points of a contract running until 2030.
The 59-year-old, who has been serving as Red Bull’s Global Head of Soccer since January 2025, will succeed Julian Nagelsmann, who stepped down on 3 July following Germany’s penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay in the World Cup’s round of 32. The contract will cover the 2028 European Championship and the 2030 World Cup. Former Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders is also set to join the coaching staff.
The final obstacle is an agreement with Red Bull, with talks involving the organisation’s managing director Oliver Mintzlaff expected to conclude early next week. Klopp publicly confirmed the discussions, saying things had moved quickly following Nagelsmann’s departure and that he assumed Red Bull would not stand in his way.
Klopp’s appointment will mark his first role in international management, having previously coached Mainz and Borussia Dortmund before his nine seasons at Liverpool, where he won the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and two League Cups.
Germany topped their World Cup group before losing to Ecuador in their final group match and then exiting on penalties to Paraguay. It extended a troubling run of three consecutive World Cups without reaching the last 16 since their 2014 triumph.
The appointment is widely seen as a populist move. Klopp is the most recognisable German coach of his generation, and his media-friendly personality stands in sharp contrast to Nagelsmann, whose difficult relationship with the German press proved costly when results turned.
