Germany fans in need of hope as prospect of Klopp looms
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When Germany fans woke up on Tuesday morning, they surely felt embarrassed about what happened in Boston against Paraguay.Since their most recent World Cup success in 2014, Germany have twice failed to make it out of the group stage - in 2018 and 2022 - and lost in the first knockout match of the 2026 finals.Domestically German football is booming. Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala and Bayern Munich's latest rising star Lennart Karl are among a new crop of players that can excite fans, but the depth of extraordinary talent does not exist in Germany at this point in time.Following a quarter-final exit at the 1998 World Cup and an embarrassing group stage exit at Euro 2000, the German football association made fundamental changes to the nationwide development of youth players and the education of football coaches.Whether the German FA is capable of making substantial changes once again remains to be seen.Structural changes will need time but a managerial change could happen almost immediately.In the aftermath of Monday's loss, Nagelsmann rejected the notion that he should resign.Germany captain Joshua Kimmich said he hoped that Nagelsmann remains in charge, arguing that the team have been responsible for the embarrassing outcome of this World Cup campaign."The fact of the matter is that we couldn't give the people at home [what we wanted]," said Bayern Munich's Kimmich.
Nagelsmann was responsible for using Kimmich as a right-back instead of employing him in his usual role in central midfield. It was Nagelsmann's decision to rely on ageing players such as Leroy Sane and Leon Goretzka.Nagelsmann's contract, which was extended in early 2025, runs until after Euro 2028.
Before the opening game he and former Germany international Thomas Muller discussed their preferred line-ups and Klopp said that Nagelsmann would "still" decide over the personnel.He later apologised for it, saying: "I will turn 59 the day after tomorrow and I'm still stupid." And yet, one could get the impression that Klopp was there as a sort-of shadow minister, in position to replace the incumbent sooner rather than later.Klopp joined Red Bull as "head of global soccer" in early 2025 and has been involved in crucial decisions at various Red Bull-owned or funded clubs, while rejecting approaches from teams like Real Madrid.As the rumour goes, Klopp might be done with coaching in club football, but the national team may still intrigue him.During his illustrious career, he saved Borussia Dortmund after the club had been on the verge of bankruptcy, and years later, he pulled Liverpool out of no man's land in the Premier League standings. It might be time for him to save another team and write the final chapter of his coaching career.