Germany (Duitsland) taps Klopp, Dutch Lijnders – a dream realised

In a packed Berlin hall on Friday morning, the German Football Association unveiled Jürgen Klopp as the new head coach of Germany (Duitsland), confirming a Dutch assistant will join him and noting Klopp’s contract runs to 2030. The announcement satisfied the long‑awaited demand of a Dutchman (Nederlander) to work alongside the German side.

The appointment, long hinted at in the media, finally materialised after weeks of speculation. Klopp succeeds Julian Nagelsmann, who was dismissed following the nation’s exit in the World Cup round of 16 against Paraguay.

Klopp opened the press conference with a wide grin: “Maak ons je Google-favoriet„Het is een grote eer om hier vandaag te zitten.” He added that the past days felt like a film playing in his head, with thoughts racing about the magnitude of the role.

DFB chairman Bernd Neuendorf praised the decision, saying, “He was our top candidate from the start; the board agreed unanimously.” Neuendorf insisted the federation had done everything possible to secure Klopp, calling him “the best solution.”

In March, DFB boss Neuendorf will not support Infantino

The 59‑year‑old former midfielder spent twelve seasons as a player at FSV Mainz, his only professional club, before moving into management with Borussia Dortmund and later Liverpool, where he won league and Champions League titles. After leaving Liverpool two years ago, Klopp took a break from coaching and served as head of football operations for Red Bull’s football division, overseeing clubs such as RB Leipzig and Red Bull Salzburg.

Pepijn Lijnders signed his own contract with the German FA, having been Klopp’s long‑time assistant at Liverpool and most recently the right‑hand man of Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. Earlier in his career Lijnders worked at NEC and Red Bull Salzburg, though his spell there did not meet expectations.

Former international defender Per Mertesacker, a 2014 World Cup winner with Germany, was appointed sporting director, adding further experience to the new coaching set‑up.

Zidane thrives while Klopp struggles after World Cup shake‑up

Klopp’s debut is scheduled for 24 September, when Die Mannschaft face the Netherlands in the Nations League. He will also oversee matches against Greece and Serbia, and the qualification campaign for the 2027 European Championship (Ek voetbal) will begin the following year.

The announcement, carried by © AFPDuitsland, even mentioned the popular video‑game EA FC, underscoring the cultural reach of the new German coaching era.