Jurgen Klopp breaks silence on Germany job after former Liverpool boss sent clear message
Jurgen Klopp has played down suggestions he could become the next manager of Germany, insisting he wants Julian Nagelsmann to remain in the role beyond 2026.
The former Liverpool boss has indicated he will be taking at least a year away from football after leaving Anfield during the summer, although he continues to be linked with roles back in management.
Inter Milan is the latest club to be touted as his next job, with the Italian club reportedly eyeing him up should Manchester United appoint Simone Inzaghi to replace Erik ten Hag.
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Klopp has perhaps been linked with the German national team job more than any other. The 57-year-old has spoken about the possibility of leading his country previously, having called it a ‘great honor’ back in 2023.
Not only that, but the German national team’s sporting director Rudi Voller seemed to indicate recently that Klopp would be top of the list should the job become available.
"I don't know what Jürgen would like to do again,” Voller said while speaking to Aktuelle Sportstudio.
"But if Julian Nagelsmann were to decide at some point that he would rather coach a top club in Europe or Germany again - of course, then there is no way around Jürgen Klopp if he wants to."
It appears though Klopp has no intentions of ending his sabbatical early, and has outlined his hopes that current incumbent Nagelsmann will manage Germany beyond the 2026 World Cup, when the former RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich boss’ contract expires.
Speaking after receiving the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin, Klopp said (via Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung): "Everyone hopes that Julian Nagelsmann will do this for much, much longer than 2026. I would be reluctant to talk about football today because there is nothing to say.
"Rudi Völler is a very nice guy. He was put in the situation where he had to talk about it."
Liverpool.com says: It’s a great indicator of just how highly thought of Klopp is in the world of football that he continues to be linked with jobs, despite making it clear he wants to take at least a year away from football.
Of course, he did cut short his previous sabbatical after leaving Borussia Dortmund in order to take the Liverpool job, so it’s not out of the question that he could do the same again. Having only left Anfield in May though, you do get the feeling that he isn’t ready to make his return just yet.
Klopp will always be linked with the Germany job until the day he retires, and it might well suit him if he doesn’t want to return to frantic nature of club management. Whether Nagelsmann sees the job through to 2026 or heads back to the club game remains to be seen, but you can guarantee Klopp’s name will be in the frame for his country.