Jurgen Klopp watched from the television pundit's seat as Germany crashed out of the World Cup in a shock penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay. Just three weeks later, he has been handed the job of picking up the pieces.
Last month's loss led head coach Julian Nagelsmann to resign and plunged German football into a full-scale identity crisis. Now Klopp, who signed a four-year deal to become head coach, is tasked with restoring the country's once-famous winning mentality.
“Klopp signs four-year Germany deal after Nagelsmann resigns following Paraguay defeat.”
His first game in charge will be against the Netherlands on 24 September. Assigned with leading the team through Euro 2028 and the 2030 World Cup, Klopp said: "The national team can unite us Germans like almost nothing else. That's precisely what makes this task so special for me."
The 59-year-old is already considered one of the greatest German managers, having won the Champions League and Premier League with Liverpool, and two Bundesliga titles with Borussia Dortmund. Yet the appointment has sparked fierce debate in Germany.
For the German football association (DFB), securing Klopp's signature was a priority since Nagelsmann resigned. DFB president Bernd Neuendorf said Klopp "embodies passion, credibility, and the ability to inspire people". He added: "After Julian Nagelsmann's resignation, he was our unequivocal choice for the position of national team coach. That's why we pursued him relentlessly."
Klopp will build his coaching team around former Liverpool assistants Pep Lijnders and Peter Krawietz. Germany will hope the trio can restore one of football's fallen giants to its former glory.
In a recent poll by Germany's leading football magazine Kicker, 80% of readers said Klopp was the right choice. Former Germany and Bayern Munich midfielder Stefan Effenberg, speaking on the popular weekly football talk show Doppelpass, said Klopp could bring a "new spirit of optimism".
The challenge is immense: years of criticism over a lack of winning mentality and a failure to bond with fans. Klopp, who has spent his career talking about "mentality monsters" and became a cult hero at every club he has managed, would seem the perfect solution. But the debate over whether he is the messiah or merely papering over cracks has only just begun.
