Jurgen Klopp is prepared to accept the Germany job after Julian Nagelsmann has stepped down from the role.
Nagelsmann was brutally told to quit or be sacked after a shock World Cup defeat on penalties to Paraguay in the round of 32.
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The former Bayern Munich, Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig manager was understood to be keen to stay on.
But following a meeting, the DfB [German FA] told the 38-year-old decided to quit.
Sources have told eSPORTY that Klopp has already been approached for the role and is ready to accept the job.
Klopp has a break clause in his Head of Global Soccer job at Red Bull allowing him to leave for the Germany job.
Writing on the wall for Nagelsmann
After group stage exits in 2018 and 2022, it was another poor World Cup performance for Germany, as they lost their first knockout match of the 2026 tournament. The defeat on penalties was also Germany’s first at a World Cup for the first time in their history.
Jonathan Tah missed a decisive sudden-death penalty on Monday night, which allowed Jose Canale to fire Paraguay to a shock 4-3 shootout win after the knockout game had finished 1-1.
After Kai Havertz and Nick Woltemade both missed earlier on in the shootout, the South American nation passed up their first two opportunities to win the marathon match.
Antonio Sanabria and Fabian Balbuena failed to convert, as Germany dragged themselves level to force sudden death.
After his exit was confirmed, Nagelsmann released a statement on Friday morning.
It read: “I’ve done a lot of thinking in the days since our elimination and have consulted with trusted individuals both personally and within the federation.
“The decision was anything but easy for me. My top priority has always been the team’s success.
“After such a bitter disappointment, they deserve the chance for a fresh start. I want to thank my coaching staff, the support team, and everyone at the federation who supported us, especially the players with whom I had the privilege of working.
“A special thank you also goes to the fans. You carried us, you trusted us, you gave us energy, even during difficult times.
“It truly pains me that we disappointed you and couldn’t give you any more memorable nights of football at this World Cup. You deserved so much more”
Klopp’s future
Klopp is currently under contract with Red Bull until the end of 2029.
He has been linked with multiple jobs this summer, but each link has been dismissed by his agent.
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Klopp’s name was mentioned for the Real Madrid job before Jose Mourinho returned to the Bernabeu.
He was also believed to be a target for Al Ittihad, but those were quickly dismissed.
“It’s annoying,” Klopp’s agent Marc Kosike told Sky Germany. “Jurgen Klopp is happy in his role at Red Bull and has no ambitions to work as a coach at a club.”
However, there has always been one job that he would leave Red Bull for. That is Germany.
The German FA said: “The DFB leadership will now seek talks with Jurgen Klopp. He has already signalled his willingness to take on the position.”
Klopp ‘perfect’ for Germany job
When asked how the German public will react to the pursuit of Klopp, European football expert Kevin Hatchard told eSPORTY: “I think very happy and it’s become clear that this was the plan even though Klopp played it down initially.
“When he was doing his TV punditry, he said now’s not the moment to talk about it. He didn’t come out and say no, that he wasn’t interested, and it is believed that he does have a break clause in his job with Red Bull and it is believed that Germany is the only job that he would come away from that job for.
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“We know that he stepped down because he said he had a lack of energy. We know he stepped down because he wanted a change, he wanted more family time.
“The Germany job would allow him to do that because, of course, international football isn’t the same as club football. It isn’t the same day-to-day grind as club football and I think this is something Germany needs.
“Julian Nagelsmann, at the Euros, did fine. I think he managed to reconnect the fans with the team and they got to the quarter finals, they pushed Spain all the way and it was Spain who went on to win the Euros in Germany.
“But this World Cup, there’s no getting away from it, it has been disastrous.”
eSPORTY’s European football expert, Andy Brassell, believes that Klopp would be perfect for the job.
Brassell said: “This is the perfect time for Klopp… the German FA have had off-the-books talks with him for years.
“If he was announced in a week, it wouldn’t knock me over. He’s someone who gets German football culture and someone who can unite the public behind the team.
“You’re talking about a guy who’s massively popular within the culture and even before he was Dortmund coach.”
Former Germany international Robert Huth has echoed those thoughts on Klopp, believing everyone would back him too.
Huth told eSPORTY: “I think 99 per cent of Germany would like Klopp in the manager’s seat, he represents everything they need at the moment – energy, passion, relentlessness.
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“It’s inevitable that Nagelsmann will go and I think Klopp would take it for sure, he’s loved by pretty much everyone.”
Nagelsmann’s record
Nagelsmann was appointed Germany boss in 2023, replacing Hansi Flick in the role.
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In his first major tournament, Euro 2024, he led Germany to the semi-finals of the home tournament, where they were beaten by eventual winners Spain after extra time.
Despite missing out on glory, he was awarded a new contract until Euro 2028 in January 2025 but Klopp appears primed to replace him.
The iconic former Liverpool boss has not managed since his Anfield departure in 2024, and has never coached internationally.
Klopp is currently working for Red Bull as their head of global soccer, a role he has held since the start of last year.
Despite his new role, where he earns an estimated £8-10million, and stating previously he does not ‘miss coaching’, Klopp has been linked to a swathe of vacancies across Europe’s elite.
Meanwhile, eSPORTY’s Ally McCoist previously tipped him to take charge of either England or Germany as his next role.
More German misery
Germany’s shock exit sees their World Cup woes continue. The footballing giants have been eliminated early on each occasion since their 2014 triumph.
In both 2018 and 2022, they failed to progress beyond the group stage, but sailed through to the knockouts this time around.
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Nagelsmann’s side had topped Group E to banish their past demons, but looked far from the challengers they were expected to be against Paraguay.
They struggled to break down their South American opponents, only managing to force extra-time thanks to Havertz’s second-half equaliser.
And while Germany suffered unwanted history as they finally fell victim to a World Cup shootout defeat, their opponents celebrated a first of their own.
Paraguay had never won a World Cup knockout match before, and will now face France in Philadelphia on Saturday for a place in the quarter-finals.
