Former German Football Association (DFB) president Reinhard Grindel has revealed that Jürgen Klopp was identified as Joachim Löw’s successor as Germany head coach as early as 2019, with the Liverpool manager approached about taking charge after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
According to Grindel, representatives from the DFB travelled to Liverpool in spring 2019 to outline the proposal to Klopp. “Klopp was aware of this because DFB representatives explained it to him in Liverpool in spring 2019,” Grindel told Münchner Merkur. The plan envisaged the then-Liverpool boss replacing Löw following the tournament in Qatar.
However, the initiative stalled when Grindel stepped down from his position in April 2019. “Due to my resignation, these considerations were apparently not pursued further,” Grindel explained. The succession plan was consequently abandoned, leaving the DFB to search for alternatives when Löw eventually departed.
Flick appointment followed collapsed plan
Following Grindel’s departure, the DFB ultimately turned to Hansi Flick, who had served as assistant to Löw during Germany’s 2014 World Cup triumph. Flick took over the national team in 2021 after Löw stepped down a year earlier than originally planned, having presided over a disappointing European Championship campaign and a group-stage exit at the 2022 World Cup.
Klopp, meanwhile, remained at Anfield until the end of the 2023-24 season, delivering Liverpool’s first Premier League title in 30 years and a sixth Champions League crown before his departure. He subsequently joined Red Bull as their Head of Global Soccer, a role he currently holds overseeing the company’s football operations across its various clubs including RB Leipzig and Red Bull Salzburg.
Fresh links amid Nagelsmann pressure
Grindel’s revelation comes as Klopp finds himself once again linked with the Germany position. Julian Nagelsmann is currently under significant pressure following Germany’s early exit from the World Cup, and reports suggest the 58-year-old is the leading candidate to replace the 38-year-old should the DFB decide to make a change.
Unlike the structured succession plan of 2019, any potential appointment now would require negotiations with Red Bull, where Klopp holds a senior executive position. Nagelsmann took charge with a mandate to restore Germany’s competitive edge after recent tournament failures, but the latest World Cup disappointment has intensified scrutiny of his tactical approach, potentially opening the door for a high-profile replacement.