Jurgen Klopp, the new coach of the German national team, has needed time to rebuild the squad after a series of disappointments at major tournaments. Klopp took over the team in the summer, replacing Julian Nagelsmann, after Germany were knocked out by Paraguay in the round of 32 of the World Cup. This was Germany’s third consecutive early elimination from the tournament, after exiting in the group stage in 2018 and 2022, highlighting the urgent need for change.
Speaking in Belgrade ahead of the Nations League match against Serbia, Klopp expressed his full confidence in the talent at his disposal and stressed that the players needed time to come together as a team. “It is often said that German football lacks many things – including the number of good players, great talents, world-class players, and so on,” Klopp said. However, he added: “I have a super positive perspective on this team. To be honest, we have a very good mix.”
The 59-year-old coach stressed that he was not “naive or blinkered – we are really very good… we just have to make this visible, translate it onto the pitch.” He drew a parallel with taking over at Liverpool, where he also needed time to win everyone over, from “doubters to believers”, to return the club to its former glory. “I have to give myself time,” Klopp said on Thursday, but added: “if that suits the public, that is not something I can control.” He remains optimistic: “We are on the right track – although, of course, we are still far from the end. However, the foundation is really good.”
Klopp praised Liverpool midfielder Florian Wirtz, who has been in better form in recent weeks. “Flo (Wirtz) is in excellent shape. He can be an extraordinary help for us,” Klopp said. Wirtz has been under criticism since his costly transfer to Liverpool in 2025, but he has shown improvement under the new Liverpool coach, Andoni Iraola. He has three assists in his last four Premier League matches and scored his first league goal of this season in Sunday’s 3-1 win over Crystal Palace. The former Bayer Leverkusen player, still only 23, could play his 50th match for Germany on Monday in Berlin.
Wirtz, for his part, expressed the feeling that the team was improving under Klopp and said he wanted to take on a bigger leadership role in the new squad. “I feel like we have come together even better and have consolidated the things we have worked on in training. This comes from the attitude of will, belief and passion on the pitch,” Wirtz said on Thursday.
Taken from France 24 Live News