Klopp sets course for Germany's team squad formula, aims to take off
The new national team coach Jürgen Klopp must, on Thursday at 10:00 a.m., make his first personnel selection for the national team coach premiere and thereby set the lineup of the DFB eleven that will determine the course of the football national team for the restart. Fans can look forward to which squad formula he will apply to get the team off the ground.
Squad formula and selection criteria
Klopp has already presented the formula “20 + x out of 57”, where x denotes the additional candidates from a broad pool. Among the names Said El Mala, Nicolo Tresoldi, Vitali Janelt, Finn Jeltsch, Dzenan Pejcinovic and possibly Paris Brunner, the final squad size is being discussed – up to 27, perhaps even 30 players could be nominated. The selection should heavily rely on wingers, establish a four‑man defensive line, and optimise the team’s shape for Euro 2028. The coach emphasises that a larger squad with a “fly‑into‑the‑air” mantra increases the chances of finding the best talents.
The personnel decisions go beyond mere staff selection: Klopp must distance himself from predecessor Julian Nagelsmann’s strategy, who uttered the controversial “Noch” remark at the World Cup. “We deeply regret that,” Klopp said, emphasizing that the new personnel selection is a clear signal of a radical course change. Therefore, the personnel decisions will represent not only a sporting but also a symbolic restart for the DFB eleven.
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Klopp on tour and public appearances
In the weeks leading up to the announcement, Klopp visited several Bundesliga clubs – Dortmund, Munich, Stuttgart, Augsburg and Mainz – and posted private photos from his visit to his old high school in the Black Forest. The group picture with teenagers showed how much time he invested in travelling across the country and assessing the players in person. Fans followed the actions on Instagram, where Klopp stressed that he wants both to see and to be seen a little.
The upcoming international matches in the Netherlands (September 24), against Greece (September 27), Serbia (October 1) and again Greece (October 4) will be contested with an expanded squad. Klopp plans to nominate more than the 23 players set by UEFA per match, to compensate for injuries and form fluctuations. Fans’ hopes rest on a powerful “Power football”, with the team operating with strong wings and high intensity.
The coach emphasises that the team is based not only on names but above all on style and tempo. “We want to lead the DFB eleven out of the current low‑point with strong wing play and a solid four‑man defensive line,” Klopp explained. The final squad selection will follow 55 days after his presentation, when he again takes a seat at the DFB centre and provides answers to the many open questions.