Basler demands radical overhaul – an early exit would suit him
Jürgen Klopp will present his first squad as the national team coach of the DFB on Thursday, 24 September 2026. Mario Basler calls for a radical overhaul, wants to involve many young players and says an early exit would not matter to him. He emphasizes that the selection is decisive for the future of the national team.
Basler's desire for a youthful lineup
Basler sees the next two years as an opportunity to build a completely new team. As Basler explains in his podcast “Basler ballert”, he would deliberately take many young outfield players and young goalkeepers with him in the first nomination, to give them early international experience. The former Bayern professional emphasizes that young players must take on responsibility early. As a concrete example he mentions Leroy Sané, whom he would leave out as part of a radical overhaul.
He is willing to accept sporting setbacks, even if Germany is not among the favorites at a major tournament or exits early. For Basler, such a fundamental overhaul justifies any possible early exit. He explicitly talks about a complete rebuild, in which established national players of recent years no longer have a role.
Klopp combines experience and youth
Coach Jürgen Klopp will present the squad on Thursday at 10 a.m., after having visited numerous Bundesliga clubs and observed several matches. The announcement will show how strongly the new DFB coach actually relies on young talent. At the same time, it remains to be seen which experienced players will be retained. With this, he aims to achieve a balanced ratio between experience and youth.
Matthäus demands clear support from Klopp for Kimmich
Joshua Kimmich remains captain of the German national team and is to play in central midfield, his favourite position. Kimmich has already earned over 100 caps, 45 of them in central midfield. Since he is no longer deployed as a right‑back, Klopp needs at least one new right‑back. Potential newcomers are Ridle Baku, Elias Baum, Merlin Röhl and Rafael Pinto Pedrosa.
New nominations and financial consequences
Said El Mala, the 20‑year‑old shooting star of 1. FC Köln, sees a leading role in the “new” DFB through his nomination under Klopp. Under the previous coach Julian Nagelsmann, El Mala was surprisingly left out of the World Cup squad. The nomination gives him international experience, pushes his market value well beyond the €50 million threshold of the previous year, and triggers additional bonuses from his contract.
Through the nomination, El Mala becomes a brand ambassador for Rewe and is to be marketed in the future as strongly as Thomas Müller or Jamal Musiala. The nomination also activates bonuses that were agreed in his contract extension with 1. FC Köln. The financial benefit for 1. FC Köln is likely to far exceed the previous €50 million.
Zidane thrives while Klopp struggles after World Cup shake‑up
Basler's demand for a radical fresh start contrasts with Klopp's balanced mix of experience and targeted youth development. The clash of the two viewpoints will determine whether Germany accepts an early exit or builds anew in the long term.