Klopp's Germany rebuild shows promise despite mixed early results

Jürgen Klopp's first international break as Germany coach delivered the kind of results that could have sent a lesser manager into a defensive crouch. One win, two draws, one loss. Third place in a four-team Nations League group. By the numbers alone, it looked like a stumble. But Klopp, who spent years building Liverpool into a European powerhouse and knows something about the long view, saw something different in those four matches—and he was willing to say so out loud.

The record reads: a comfortable 2-0 victory over Serbia, a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands, a goalless tie against Greece in Thessaloniki, and a shock 0-1 loss at home to Greece. Not the start most would have scripted. Yet Klopp emerged from the international window convinced that something was taking shape. "Everyone showed what they're made of; everyone earned their place," he said after the Greece draw. "We've shown signs that we can do some things better than people gave us credit for." It was the language of a coach who had seen potential even in the defeats—or perhaps especially in them.

Germany's football had hit a low point. The team crashed out of the 2026 World Cup in the last 32, following a group-stage exit in 2022. The national program felt depleted, the talent pipeline questioned. Klopp's response was to cast his net wider than convention suggested. He named a 44-man squad distributed across the four matches, a deliberate strategy to scout for diamonds in less obvious places. He acknowledged this would be a one-off approach, but the exercise had already yielded what he called "valuable insights." "Hard work, lots of information—these guys are brimming with talent," he said of the players given unexpected opportunities. "People were saying that German soccer was at rock bottom and that there was no talent. They're not lacking in talent."

But Klopp's project extends beyond tactics and squad rotation. He has made a point of wearing a cap bearing the phrase "Einer von 83 millionen"—One of 83 million—a direct reference to Germany's population and an attempt to signal unity in a country increasingly fractured by the rise of the far-right AfD party. When social media users attacked the team as "not white enough" after the loss to Greece, Klopp did not dodge the question. "There is no reason to give these people any thought," he said. "They aren't getting any of my attention. I have little time for stupidity in real life and none on social media either." It was a statement that placed his values before his comfort.

Florian Wirtz, one of the senior players in the squad, described Klopp's approach to relationship-building as masterful. "He has a very good rapport with every player. He tries to reach out to every player and make them feel good, that they're important and that they deserve to be here," Wirtz said. In a national team context where players have limited time together, that emotional architecture can matter as much as any formation or pressing scheme.

Yet the four matches also exposed real vulnerabilities, particularly in attack. Kai Havertz, a key figure in the opener against the Netherlands, limped off after 29 minutes with an injury. His replacements—Younes Ebnoutalib of Eintracht Frankfurt, Nick Woltemade on loan at Juventus from Newcastle, and Jonathan Burkhardt, also of Frankfurt—were tested across the remaining games. None scored. Woltemade missed badly against Serbia. Burkhardt had a goal disallowed against Greece. All three have shown promise in their careers, but none has been tested at the highest level, and none plays in the Champions League. With Havertz's injury history, Klopp needs a proven backup to emerge.

The injury troubles extended to Jamal Musiala, widely regarded as Germany's brightest attacking talent. He picked up a thigh injury in the warmup to the Netherlands match that could sideline him for a month. His recent career has been shadowed by repeated absences—a neurological condition cost him games this season, a broken leg kept him out for the first half of last season, and before that another lengthy spell on the sidelines. When fit, he is Germany's most dangerous attacking spark, but those moments have become increasingly rare.

Wirtz, by contrast, showed flashes of what Klopp's system might unlock. He was excellent in the Serbia win, scoring one goal and creating another, a reminder of a talent that has been largely dormant at Liverpool, where he has shown his creative best only in glimpses. Against Greece, he captained the side and delivered a decent performance, though Burkhardt inadvertently blocked a goalbound header. "He's really gotten us on board with his philosophy," Wirtz said of his coach. "I enjoy it myself, too. I get to show my strengths when we have possession." Klopp will need more performances like that from Wirtz if Germany is to climb out of third place and build toward something sustainable. The early results are mixed, but the foundation—if Klopp can keep it standing—is being laid.