German Football Association and Klopp reach agreement to coach the national team

The German Football Association (DFB) announced on Saturday that its president, Bernd Nöcker, and his deputy, Hans-Joachim Watzke, held an in-depth preliminary meeting with Jürgen Klopp in New York to discuss the possibility of appointing him as the national team’s head coach.

The association added, “During this constructive dialogue, an agreement was reached on the key points of a potential contract. Discussions will resume. Both parties express confidence in the successful completion of negotiations, contingent upon obtaining approval from Klopp’s current employer.”

Since Julian Nagelsmann’s resignation following Germany’s humiliating exit at the hands of Paraguay in the round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup—decided by penalties (3-4, 1-1 after extra time)—59-year-old Klopp has emerged as the DFB’s preferred candidate to succeed him.

German football is experiencing an unprecedented crisis, having suffered three consecutive defeats at the World Cup. The national team was eliminated in the group stage in 2018 and 2022, and exited in the round of 32 in the current edition.