Zidane thrives while Klopp struggles after World Cup shake‑up

Two former champions now sit on opposite ends of the post‑World Cup coaching ladder: Zinedine Zidane enjoys a buoyant start with France, whereas Jürgen Klopp endures a hesitant debut with Germany. Both arrived after their nations’ disappointing exits, but the reactions from media and fans could not be more divergent.

Klopp’s uneasy inauguration

Bob Faesen Voetbal reported at 20:38 that Germany’s “Die Mannschaft” needed an electro‑shock after a lacklustre World Cup exit against Paraguay. Klopp, 59, delivered that shock by unveiling a massive 44‑player squad, split into two equal groups for Nations League fixtures. The Germans managed just one point from six against Greece and only a solitary win over Serbia, leaving them third in a group with the Netherlands and Greece.

German tabloids such as described the start as “haperende” but also praised the side’s “flair, strong counter‑pressing” and “many good chances”, noting only a missing goal. Klopp later dismissed political criticism, saying on social media he had “little time for stupidity” and would not let the national flag become a symbol for the far‑right AfD.

Zidane’s flourishing tenure

In contrast, Zidane, 54, has recorded three wins – two against Belgium – and one draw since taking charge of France. French outlets, L’Équipe and Le Parisien lauded his “tactical masterstroke” and praised the depth of his talent pool, highlighting debutants Estéban Lepaul and Guillaume Restes.

Belgium, under Mark van Bommel, received generally positive criticism, but the article asks how other top nations fared after changing coaches. While Belgium’s new coach is not the focus, the piece notes that Xavi, 46, succeeded Ronald Koeman in the Netherlands, aiming to restore attractive football after a disastrous World Cup exit to Morocco.

Xavi’s Dutch side has earned eight points from twelve, leading its group, yet the coach admits the squad lacks the world’s best players. He experimented with a 4‑3‑4 formation, deploying Teun Koopmeiners as a centre‑back and giving debuts to Ruben van Bommel, Mexx Meerdink and Gjivai Zechiël, while veterans Memphis Depay and Wout Weghorst were sidelined.

The German defence remains a concern despite the presence of Virgil van Dijk, Micky van de Ven and Jurriën Timber, having gone twelve matches without a clean sheet – a statistic unchanged from the Koeman era. Meanwhile, the Dutch press noted Xavi’s limited English as a surprising asset, allowing him to understand Dutch directness while keeping his cards close to his chest.

Overall, the contrasting fortunes of Zidane and Klopp illustrate how the same post‑World Cup transition can produce either applause or scrutiny, depending on early results, media tone and the political backdrop surrounding each national team.