Jurgen Klopp says sorry to Julian Nagelsmann live on TV for his comment about the Germany manager.
Jurgen Klopp recently apologized to Julian Nagelsmann on live TV after a comment he made before Germany’s World Cup opener caused some talk about Nagelsmann’s future as national team coach.
Germany had a fantastic start to their World Cup, winning 7-1 against Curacao with goals from Felix Nmecha, Nico Schlotterbeck, Kai Havertz (2), Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown, and Deniz Undav.
Before the game, there was a lot of chatter about whether Musiala would start. Klopp had suggested Nagelsmann should pick Undav instead of Musiala, which sparked debate.
Legend Lothar Matthaus wasn’t happy with Klopp’s advice. He told BILD, “I was surprised that Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Muller suggested playing Deniz Undav instead of Jamal Musiala in the first match. I respect their opinion, but I think it was a bit insensitive. Jurgen Klopp should know better.”
Klopp, who’s been linked with the Germany coaching job lately, also caused a stir when he said Nagelsmann is “still” picking the team. Some thought this meant Klopp was hinting Nagelsmann might not be in charge much longer if Germany doesn’t do well.
Because of the buzz, Nagelsmann was asked about Klopp’s comment before the big win over Curacao. After the match, Klopp took a moment to clear things up while standing next to Nagelsmann.
In a post-game interview with Magenta TV, Klopp said, “There’s one more thing I want to say. We are all part of the team in our own way, and we fully support you.” He laughed about his word choice, adding, “The word ‘still’ is the most hated word I’ve said this year. I could have hit myself for saying it, but it happened on live TV. It just slipped out and means nothing.”
He joked about himself too: “I’ll be 59 soon, and apparently, I’m still an idiot. But honestly, we’re completely behind you, and I didn’t mean to cause any trouble.”
After leaving Liverpool in 2024, Klopp took on a new role as Head of Global Soccer at Red Bull. In this job, he’s been working closely with Paris FC, a club partly owned by the sports drink company.
Paris FC had a strong season, finishing 11th in Ligue 1, which is impressive since it was their return to the top French league after 46 years.
The club’s main owners, the Arnault family, have big dreams. They want to win their first trophy and make it to the Champions League.
Arnault even spoke to AFTER FOOT about hoping to bring Klopp back to coaching one day. He said, “Who wouldn’t want Jurgen? Of course, we dream of having him. It won’t happen right away because he’s not ready to coach again immediately, but maybe in three to five years. If we make it to the Champions League, I’d love to convince him to coach us.”