Julian Nagelsmann has resigned as Germany coach after his team failed to make the round of 16 for the third tournament running, and former Liverpool manager J眉rgen Klopp is in line to take over.
Nagelsmann’s departure, announced on Friday by the national soccer federation, comes four days after on penalties in the round of 32 and follows talks with his bosses.
The federation said it planned to speak to Klopp and 鈥渉e has already signaled his willingness in general to take on the role.鈥�
It would be Klopp’s first coaching job since in 2024.
Nagelsmann changed his mind
Nagelsmann initially said he’d stay on with Germany on a contract which had another two years to run and reportedly made him among the highest-paid coaches at the World Cup. He faced mounting criticism over his tactics and team selection at the tournament.
鈥淚n the days since we went out I’ve done a lot of thinking and spoken with trusted people in my personal life and at the (federation),鈥� Nagelsmann said in a statement.
鈥淭his decision was anything but easy for me. My main aim has always been the team’s success. After such a bitter disappointment, they’ve earned the chance for a completely fresh start.鈥�
Germany鈥檚 defeat by Paraguay followed group-stage losses at the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when it was a 32-team tournament. It has not won a men鈥檚 World Cup knockout game since beating Argentina in the 2014 final.
Nagelsmann originally said after his side’s exit that he was 鈥渘ot one to walk away鈥� but he then returned home for with the federation on Thursday.
His departure drew a tribute from the head of the German government.
鈥淭he chancellor thanks Julian Nagelsmann for his commitment and service in recent years as national team coach,鈥� German Chancellor Friedrich Merz鈥檚 spokesperson, Stefan Kornelius, told reporters at a government news conference that was taking place as the news arrived.
Klopp was pitchside at World Cup
Klopp was a high-profile presence as a pundit on German TV at the World Cup, even taking part in postgame interviews with Nagelsmann at the side of the field.
鈥淚 haven’t thought about it,鈥� Klopp told Magenta TV on Monday after Germany went out, adding it was 鈥渘ot the moment to really talk about it鈥�.
Klopp is currently in an executive role as head of global soccer for the . Germany鈥檚 next game isn鈥檛 until Sept. 24 in the Nations League against the Netherlands.
Nagelsmann sparked debate in Germany by recalling 40-year-old goalkeeper Manuel Neuer before the World Cup after using Oliver Baumann in qualifying.
There was also criticism of his decision to keep starting Leroy Sane, another of his old Bayern Munich players, on the wing, and to give the right-back role to Joshua Kimmich, who usually plays as a midfielder at Bayern, rather than pick a specialist.
That left central defender Waldemar Anton covering the position in the latter stages of the loss to Paraguay. Tall striker Nick Woltemade played every game in qualifying but stayed on the bench at the World Cup until near the end of the round of 32 game.
Nagelsmann joins Koeman and Bielsa in leaving
The youngest coach at the World Cup at 38, Nagelsmann had been in the Germany job since 2023 and his contract last year through to Euro 2028. Initially a stopgap replacement ahead of hosting Euro 2024, he stayed on after a quarterfinal loss in that tournament to eventual champion Spain.
Nagelsmann is the latest in a string of big-name coaches to leave after early exits at the World Cup.
Ronald Koeman left the Netherlands after a which came hours after Germany鈥檚 defeat.
Coaches for , South Korea, and the Czech Republic have all left too, while Marcelo Bielsa was already planning to step down as Uruguay coach even before the team was in the group stage.
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