Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has emerged as the top target for the Germany job, should Julian Nagelsmann leave after the 2026 World Cup, according to DFB sporting director Rudi Voller.
Klopp stunned the footballing world by revealing that he would leave Anfield to take some time away from the game earlier this year, with Arne Slot replacing him in the Liverpool dugout.
In nine years on Merseyside, Klopp won every major honour available to them, including ending a 30-year wait for an English league title in 2020.
Klopp also led the Reds to their sixth Champions League crown in 2019, and won a domestic cup double during the 2021-22 season.
With whispers circulating that Nagelsmann may look for a return to club management after the finals across North America, the DFB are set to target the most well-renowned German manager in world football.
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Klopp is the German FA's number-one choice
With the 57-year-old now enjoying a sabbatical, the DFB's sporting director Voller has gone on record to state he wants Klopp to be the next Germany manager.
Speaking to ZDF in Germany, Voller revealed: "I don't even know what Jurgen would like to do again. If Julian Nagelsmann were to decide at some point that he would rather coach a top club again - then of course there is no way around Jurgen Klopp. If he wants to."
Klopp has promised Liverpool fans that he will never take a job at another Premier League club, ruling out many of Europe's elite roles.
The rivalry between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich may also see Klopp refuse to ever join the latter.
Given Klopp's stature, that realistically leaves only the El Clasico clubs, a return to Liverpool and Dortmund, or an international role, should the Anfield great choose to return to management.
Would Klopp be suited to international football?
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Modern-day international football has not seen many of the traditional elite coaches in it, with Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti among those yet to take a national team job.
Klopp was reportedly a candidate for the USA job recently, until he revealed he was unwilling to take up the role, before it was given to Mauricio Pochettino.
The style of play that the German would look to implement may be difficult at international level though, due to the fact that the squad of players would only convene a few times per year.
Klopp's success at Dortmund and Liverpool is often attributed to the collective being greater than the sum of its parts, but with so little time in international windows to work on tactics and style, it could be difficult to embed it into the players who may not play that way at club level.
However, with Klopp citing fatigue as the reason why he left Liverpool, managing much fewer games over the course of a year may be the ideal next role for the German.
Andrew Delaney
