Jurgen Klopp returns to football as Germany manager

The German Football Association (DFB) has appointed Jürgen Klopp as the new head coach of the national team on Friday, ending speculation about who would succeed Julian Nagelsmann.

DFB President Bernd Neuendorf said the association's governing bodies had unanimously approved Klopp's appointment, describing him as the "ideal choice" for the role.

"It is a great honor to sit here today," Klopp said at the press conference announcing his appointment, adding he was "delighted."

• What else do we know about Klopp's appointment as Germany head coach?

Klopp emerged as the federation's preferred candidate after Nagelsmann stepped down following Germany's penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay in the World Cup round of 32.

In a statement released by the DFB, Klopp was quoted as saying: "The national team can unite us Germans like almost nothing else. That is precisely what makes this role so special to me."

He said he was looking forward "to this special challenge in German football, which we will tackle together with humility and patience." He wanted to build a team "that fights for one another, that enjoys playing football, and behind which the people of our country can rally with complete conviction."

The former Liverpool manager held talks with DFB officials in New York while working as a television analyst during the tournament, and the federation announced on July 11 that the two sides had reached agreement on the essential terms of a contract.

His contract starts on August 15 and continues until the summer of 2030, with the next World Cup tournament.

His first match as Germany head coach will be against the Netherlands in Amsterdam on September 24 in Germany's opening Nations League fixture.

This is Klopp's first coaching job since he left Liverpool in 2024 citing fatigue.

The DFB also announced on Friday that Per Mertesacker will be its managing director, after his predecessor Andreas Rettig steps down at the end of the year.