Nagelsmann Under Pressure as Klopp Looms Over Germany
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- Germany suffered their first-ever World Cup penalty shootout loss, falling to Paraguay in the last-32 in Boston on Monday
- Julian Nagelsmann refused to resign after the defeat, saying "I'm not someone who runs away," despite criticism over tactical calls including Manuel Neuer's return at age 40 and Joshua Kimmich's deployment at right-back
- Jurgen Klopp has emerged as the alternative, winning over fans as a charismatic TV pundit during the tournament and serving as Red Bull's "head of global soccer" since early 2025 after rejecting Real Madrid
- Joshua Kimmich publicly shouldered blame and backed Nagelsmann to stay, telling fans the players "couldn't give the people at home what we wanted"
- Nagelsmann's contract was extended in early 2025 and runs until after Euro 2028, making a dismissal financially costly for the German FA
- German media reacted sharply: Sport Bild called the exit an "embarrassment" and a "bitter night," while Die Welt labeled it a "disaster" and "humiliation" for Nagelsmann and the players
- Germany's recent tournament record now includes group-stage exits at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups on top of the 2026 first-knockout loss, raising echoes of the post-Euro 2000 era that prompted structural youth-development reform
Why it matters: Germany's football association faces an expensive binary: honor Nagelsmann's contract through Euro 2028 despite a third consecutive major-tournament failure, or buy him out and chase Klopp, who is already reshaping German football from inside Red Bull's network. The federation last forced structural overhaul after Euro 2000 — three tournament failures in a row may finally demand the same courage.
