Klopp open to Germany job after Nagelsmann resigns, DFB says

BERLIN: Jurgen Klopp has indicated to the German Football Association that he is prepared in principle to take charge of the national team after Julian Nagelsmann resigned, the DFB said on Friday.

The federation said it would now begin talks with Klopp, the former Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund manager, and thanked Nagelsmann for his nearly three years in charge. Klopp is currently contracted as Red Bull's head of global football, but Sky Germany reported that he has a verbal arrangement allowing him to leave for the Germany role.

Nagelsmann, whose contract was due to run until 2028, stepped down four days after Germany were knocked out in the last 32 of the World Cup by Paraguay. His resignation came a day after the 38-year-old attended a three-hour meeting at DFB headquarters in Frankfurt to discuss his future.

Bild reported that Nagelsmann was offered a severance package worth seven million euros, or about $8 million, equivalent to roughly one year's salary, to end his deal early.

In a statement, Nagelsmann said the decision had been difficult and linked it to the team's recent World Cup exit.

"The decision was anything but easy for me”, he said.

“My top priority has always been the success of the team. After such a bitter disappointment, it deserves the chance of a new beginning”, he added.

Nagelsmann also apologised to supporters for the early elimination.

“I am sorry and hurt from the bottom of my heart that we disappointed you and couldn't give you any more football nights at this World Cup”

DFB sporting director Rudi Voeller praised the departing coach in the federation's statement.

Recent struggles

Germany's defeat by Paraguay added to a run of disappointing tournament results for the four-time world champions. They went out in the group stage at the World Cups in Russia and Qatar, then exited Euro 2021 in the last 16 against England. At Euro 2024 on home soil, Germany lost in the quarter-finals after extra time to eventual champions Spain.

The DFB decided to move on from Nagelsmann immediately after the World Cup to avoid a repeat of past delays in changing coaches. Joachim Loew, who guided Germany to the 2014 world title, left three years after the 2018 World Cup, while Hansi Flick departed a year after the 2022 tournament.

Nagelsmann had initially been appointed on a short-term basis for Euro 2024. He extended his stay shortly before that tournament and then signed another extension in January 2025 that would have kept him in the job until after Euro 2028.

His arrival had initially been seen as a major success for the DFB, with European clubs reportedly interested in him at the time. Nagelsmann had already become the youngest coach in Bundesliga history when he took over Hoffenheim at the age of 28, and he later managed RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich. Germany had shown signs of improvement under him at Euro 2024 before their defeat to Spain.