Klopp brandishes the flag against nationalism at the conference

Jürgen Klopp, appointed manager of Germany, delivered his first press conference on Thursday, unveiling two squads of forty‑four players for the Nations League and brandishing an Adidas cap bearing “One among 83 million”. The 59‑year‑old coach, former Liverpool manager, delivered a strong political message, denouncing the growing nationalism.

An unexpected political message

Wearing a cap in black, red and gold, Klopp explained that his slogan aimed to “restore its dignity to the flag”. He recalled that the far‑right AfD party had just won a major regional election in Saxony‑Anhalt, which, in his view, makes a positive patriotism indispensable.

“I don’t want, when it’s brandished, anyone to think: ‘What’s wrong with you?’,” said the native of Stuttgart. “I would like us to be happy to live in this wonderful country. I don’t want to leave national pride to the wrong people. Positive patriotism, I’m for it!”

Tactical choices for the Nations League

On the sporting side, Klopp confirmed the retention of Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich) as captain and the appointment of Marc‑André ter Stegen (Ajax) as number 1 goalkeeper. These decisions are part of the aim to create a new momentum before the next Nations League window.

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After the elimination from the 2026 World Cup in the round of 16 against Paraguay (1‑1, 3‑4 on penalties), the Nationalmannschaft wants to use the Nations League to bounce back. The first group will travel to the Netherlands on September 24 before facing Greece on September 27, while the second will meet Serbia on October 1 and then head to Greece on October 4.

Before taking charge of the team, Klopp had spent the past months working for the Red Bull group as global football director. His stint at Liverpool, where he spent two seasons before leaving the club, remains one of the landmarks of his career.

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The interview was relayed by Alexandre Jaquin, who highlighted the importance of the German coach’s symbolic gesture in the current context. Klopp’s message, both political and sporting, marks a first step of his tenure at the helm of the national team.