Klopp leaves Germany door ajar as Nagelsmann vows to stay after World Cup exit

Jurgen Klopp has declined to fully dismiss the prospect of taking charge of Germany after Julian Nagelsmann’s side were eliminated by Paraguay in a penalty shootout at the Round of 32 of the World Cup, leaving the national team’s managerial future in flux.

Klopp, who has been working as a television pundit throughout the tournament, was on air when Germany crashed out despite being heavy favourites against Paraguay. The defeat has placed Nagelsmann’s position under immediate scrutiny and renewed speculation about whether Klopp — who stepped away from club management after leaving Liverpool — could be persuaded to take the role.

“I haven’t thought about that yet. I understand that when the national coach position is discussed, my name is mentioned in some form,” Klopp said. “But it’s not the moment to really talk about it. There’s nothing to say about it. I have a job that I enjoy very much. As far as I know, it’s not a part-time job.”

The comments fall well short of a definitive denial, and they arrive against a backdrop of already-simmering tension between the two men. Earlier in the tournament, Klopp remarked on air that “luckily, Julian Nagelsmann is picking the team, still” — a line widely interpreted as a dig at the incumbent. His punditry colleague Thomas Müller noted the irony immediately, quipping: “Kloppo, we are still in June. You are already in September!”

Klopp subsequently apologised to Nagelsmann, calling himself an “idiot” for the remark. Nagelsmann said he had not expected an apology, but the episode underscored how persistently Klopp’s name has hovered over the position.

For his part, Nagelsmann made clear in his post-match press conference that he has no intention of walking away. “I am not someone who runs away,” he said. “This is not the first time this has happened, and there are some things about today that need to be changed. But if the DFB wants me to continue, I am going to continue.”

Nagelsmann added: “I know the mechanics of football. I know how the industry works. I know a lot of people will want me to leave, but I would love to continue if the DFB wants me to.”

Whether the German Football Association chooses to back Nagelsmann or opens the door to a change — and potentially to Klopp — is now the central question hanging over German football following another premature World Cup exit.