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New German national team coach J\u00fcrgen Klopp speaks at a press conference on July 24, 2026, in\u00a0 Frankfurt.<\/p>\n
picture alliance\/dpa\/picture alliance via Getty I<\/p>\n
Most new coaches don\u2019t talk about quitting on their very first day.<\/p>\n
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But J\u00fcrgen Klopp did just that on Friday, right after he was introduced as the new head coach of Germany\u2019s men\u2019s national soccer team.<\/p>\n
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The former Liverpool manager stated he was ready for criticism regarding his tactics, roster choices, and results. However, he made it clear he would walk away if the media targeted his family with personal attacks or unwanted scrutiny.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you behave badly and don\u2019t leave my family in peace, I\u2019m gone,\u201d Klopp told reporters<\/a>.<\/p>\n It was a strong warning from a coach who also described leading Germany as the ultimate peak of his career<\/a>.<\/p>\n Make the Times Union a Preferred Source on Google to see more of our journalism when you search.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Add Preferred Source<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \u201cJ\u00fcrgen Klopp is not going to have any career after the national team,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is the pinnacle of my career as a coach. I will give it everything I\u2019ve got.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n So why bring up quitting during such an exciting new chapter?<\/p>\n Here is a closer look at what he said and why he said it.<\/p>\n What did J\u00fcrgen Klopp say?<\/p>\n At his first news conference, Klopp made it clear that while he accepts criticism of his work, he wants his family to be left out of it.\u00a0He acknowledged that criticism is part of managing a top soccer team, but warned he would quit if people targeted his family or personal life.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Klopp also promised that if the German Football Association, or DFB, decided he was not the right coach, he would leave without asking for severance pay<\/a>.<\/p>\n Overall, Klopp\u2019s message was clear: judge him for Germany\u2019s results, but keep criticism focused on his work.<\/p>\n Why did Klopp say he would quit?<\/p>\n Klopp said he has seen other top coaches face criticism<\/a> that gets too personal.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n He mentioned Julian Nagelsmann, who coached Germany before him, and Thomas Tuchel, the former Bayern Munich coach now managing England. Klopp said the criticism they faced went too far, and he would not tolerate that for his own family.<\/p>\n Who is J\u00fcrgen Klopp?<\/p>\n Klopp is a German coach, and this is his first time leading a national team.<\/p>\n He signed a four-year contract that runs through UEFA Euro 2028 and the 2030 FIFA World Cup. He replaced Julian Nagelsmann after Germany was eliminated by Paraguay in the Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup<\/a>.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Before this, Klopp managed Mainz, Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool. He left Liverpool in 2024, then worked as Red Bull\u2019s head of global soccer<\/a> and as a TV analyst during the 2026 World Cup.<\/p>\n J\u00fcrgen Klopp\u2019s coaching r\u00e9sum\u00e9<\/p>\n Liverpool (2015-2024): Won the 2019 UEFA Champions League and led the club to its first English league championship in 30 years in 2020.<\/p>\n Borussia Dortmund (2008-2015): Won consecutive Bundesliga championships in 2011 and 2012, and reached the 2013 Champions League final.<\/p>\n Mainz (2001-2008): Took over as manager in 2001 and guided Mainz to a promotion to the top-flight Bundesliga for the first time in club history.<\/p>\n Why did Germany hire Klopp?<\/p>\n After another disappointing World Cup, Germany chose one of its most successful coaches.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Germany, a four-time world champion, went out in the group stage in 2018 and 2022, then lost to Paraguay in the Round of 32 in 2026. After that, Nagelsmann left, and the German soccer federation went after Klopp.<\/p>\n DFB president Bernd Neuendorf called Klopp their top choice and the \u201cideal solution.\u201d<\/a> Now, Klopp has to rebuild a talented but struggling team before Euro 2028 and the 2030 World Cup.\u00a0<\/p>\n Why did Klopp take the Germany job?<\/p>\n Klopp said he wants to help Germany get back to the top in international soccer and sees this job as the most important part of his coaching career.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n