Judgment on Jurgen Klopp made after his first game as Germany coach against the Netherlands
Germany’s media quickly shared their thoughts on Jürgen Klopp after his first game as head coach of the four-time World Cup champions.
On Thursday evening (September 24), Germany traveled a short distance to the Johan Cruijff ArenA, where they faced the Netherlands, led by Xavi, in a UEFA Nations League Group A match.
Felix Nmecha had the honor of scoring Germany’s first goal under Klopp, thanks to a nice assist from Barcelona winger Karim Adeyemi. The team played like a typical Klopp side, with the coach signaling his players to press aggressively with just one hand gesture.
However, Cody Gakpo, whom Klopp had signed while at Liverpool, scored a late equalizer for the Netherlands in stoppage time, making the match end 1-1.
After the game, fans and the German press shared their honest opinions about Klopp’s new Germany. BILD praised him, saying he had already solved four big problems.
“The team gave everything for the country, fully embracing the classic battle against the Netherlands – just as Klopp wanted,” BILD wrote.
“We’ve got our speed back: Klopp fixed the biggest World Cup weakness fast. With Adeyemi and Schade as traditional wingers, the whole team pressed hard, just like Klopp’s teams usually do. Press, press, press! Playing in a 4-2-3-1 with a new zonal marking system, every player seemed to understand the plan better than at any point during the tough World Cup – and this was after just two training sessions.
“We got lucky too: I wouldn’t have let Van Dijk score so early in the 13th minute. Goalkeeper Ter Stegen made some shaky passes early on but improved later, and those mistakes weren’t punished. Gakpo’s late goal was well deserved.
“The best part: it’s just fun to watch. It’s a rollercoaster ride with ups and downs, but you really look forward to these international matches.”
Kicker shared a similar view, saying Germany is already moving in the right direction with their new coach.
Sportschau said, “Klopp’s debut was full of energy and some mistakes. Until the end, it looked like a dream start, but the Netherlands equalized late against an enthusiastic yet error-prone German team.
“The draw was fair. Germany showed the passion Klopp demands. Karim Adeyemi had a good chance just 45 seconds in but chose to pass instead of shooting.
“The team kept the pressure and quickly regained the ball when they lost it, but they made quite a few mistakes despite their energy.”
Tagesspiegel noted, “Klopp brings energy and courage to the national team. The old defensive problems remain, but the draw against the Netherlands is encouraging.”
Spox said, “Klopp immediately brought back excitement to the team but missed the dream start everyone hoped for.”
Sky Germany added, “The team showed a clear reaction to their World Cup exit in their first match under Klopp. Unfortunately, injuries to Jamal Musiala and Kai Havertz hurt the start.”
Klopp himself spoke after the draw, saying he was happy with the team’s passion and many good individual performances, even though he really wanted to win.
“I was very, very happy with many players. Overall, the passion we showed was great,” he said. “We can definitely play better and more football.”
Germany’s next games are against Greece on September 27 and Serbia on October 1. They will finish their opening Nations League matches with another game against Greece on October 4.