Despite leaving Liverpool FC in 2024, leaving behind an unforgettable football legacy and being ranked as one of the most influential coaches in the history of modern football, German coach Jurgen Klopp made a shocking revelation by stating that he never considered himself among the "elite" or world-class coaches.
A career full of achievements contradicts inner feelings
Speaking to AFP and other media outlets in Leipzig, Klopp said: "I never considered myself a world-class coach because I still had a lot of questions when I finished." He added, explaining his philosophy: "I kept saying to myself: How can I be world-class if I still have these questions?".
These modest statements stand in stark contrast to the impressive statistics and historical record of the German coach's career. Klopp began his journey by making history with the modest Mainz club, leading them to promotion to the German Bundesliga for the first time in their history. He then moved to Borussia Dortmund, where he broke Bayern Munich's dominance, winning the league title twice consecutively and guiding the team to the Champions League final in 2013.
The most prominent era was with Liverpool starting in 2015, when he brought the "Reds" back to the podium, ending a 30-year drought for the English Premier League title, in addition to winning the Champions League in 2019, the Club World Cup, the FA Cup, and the League Cup.
A new role and a different vision with Red Bull
Klopp has now moved to a new stage in his career as Global Director of Football at the Red Bull Group. In this role, Klopp oversees the strategy of a vast network of clubs including RB Leipzig in Germany, Red Bull Salzburg in Austria, New York Red Bulls in the United States, and most recently, Paris FC in France.
Regarding this role, Klopp says he aims to help coaches find answers to questions that have been troubling him. He explained: "My role with coaches is to be the person I haven't been able to be. I've sat in my office alone a lot. Many people have given me advice, but making the final decision isn't easy. I want to be there for them in those moments when I know they're alone.".
Klopp touched on the difficult side of his new career, having overseen the dismissal of his childhood friend Marco Rose from coaching Leipzig in 2025, and jokingly remarked bitterly: "Grave-digger of coaches, that's a title I never wanted!".
Performance-first philosophy before results
Klopp is known for his passionate style and the "gegenpressing" philosophy that transformed European football. However, he believes the media focuses solely on the final result. He said, "I don't watch the goals anymore because I want to understand what's happening on both sides of the score. The results are a product of the performance, so we worked on the performance, and the results followed.".
The 58-year-old coach confirmed that he did not feel as proud during the coronation ceremony as he enjoyed the journey itself: "For me, the journey is what I loved. It gave me so much more than the moment of winning.".
Will Klopp return to coaching?
Despite being linked with numerous top clubs and national teams since leaving Anfield, Klopp has ruled out a return to the bench anytime soon. He said: "I don't expect to change my mind. We're building a house now, and my wife wanted a very large trophy room, so I told her: this is enough, because we're not going to add any more.".
He concluded his remarks with a statement that conveyed a mixture of confidence and self-sufficiency: "It may sound arrogant, but I know I can coach a football team. I don't need to do it until the last day of my life.".
