Klopp unveiled as Germany coach, threatens to quit
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- Jürgen Klopp was unveiled as Germany's head coach on Friday on a four-year contract, replacing Julian Nagelsmann, who departed after a penalty shootout loss to Paraguay at the recent World Cup.
- Klopp, 59, returns to full-time management for the first time since leaving Liverpool after a nine-year stint, and spoke for more than 45 minutes at his introductory news conference.
- Klopp threatened to quit without severance pay if media pursue his family, telling journalists: "If you go after my family and don't leave them alone, I will leave."
- Klopp's release from his Red Bull global head of soccer role involved a one million euros donation to the company's charitable foundation and a commitment to play three matches in Leipzig.
- Klopp, a longtime critic of the international calendar, pledged to be more sympathetic to club managers, saying he will not "fight tooth-and-nail" for players clubs want to rest.
- Klopp's tenure is set to run through the 2030 World Cup, which will be hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
- Klopp said he took the job out of national pride, not because he needed to return to soccer: "I've seen what happened with Julian [Nagelsmann] and [Thomas] Tuchel. I know it's worse in other countries."
Why it matters: Klopp inherits a German squad that exited the recent World Cup on penalties to Paraguay and will lead it through the 2030 World Cup in Spain, Portugal and Morocco — his unusual pre-emptive threat to quit over family privacy sets a confrontational tone with the German press from day one.
