Bayern Munich president Herbert Hainer says he is “absolutely convinced” Jurgen Klopp is the figure capable of rescuing Germany’s failing national team as the former Liverpool manager closes in on the job.
The German Football Association (DFB) is expected to confirm on Friday that Klopp will become the new national coach, replacing Julian Nagelsmann, who resigned after Germany’s shock exit in the last 32 against Paraguay.
If confirmed, Klopp would be tasked with halting a historic slump: Germany have now suffered early World Cup exits at three consecutive tournaments.
Bayern chief backs fierce former rival
Despite years of intense rivalry with Klopp during his Borussia Dortmund days – when he twice denied Bayern the Bundesliga title in 2010-11 and 2011-12 – Hainer offered strong public backing for his compatriot.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, in comments carried by Sky Sport, Hainer said: “I believe it is a very, very good step. When we look at the national team’s results in the last three World Cups, we realise it needs a strong psychological boost and an entirely new beginning.”
Hainer insisted that Klopp’s track record across his managerial career made him the standout candidate to lead a reset of the four-time world champions.
“We have a special generation of players, and Jurgen Klopp is the right man at this stage,” the Bayern president continued. “He has achieved great things at every one of his coaching stops with Mainz, Dortmund and Liverpool.”
‘He carries everyone with him’
Hainer, 69, highlighted Klopp’s human qualities and his ability to bond with both supporters and players as central to his suitability for the role.
Praising the 59‐year‐old’s man‐management, he said: “He always succeeds in carrying everyone with him, and I am confident he will do the same with the national team.”
The Bayern chief described Klopp as “an exceptional coach in dealing with people at all levels”, stressing his talent for persuasion and motivation in high‐pressure environments.
He added that Klopp had a rare gift for transmitting his ideas and energy: convincing players to buy into his philosophy, injecting intensity into performances and driving squads beyond their perceived limits.
According to Hainer, Klopp is able to inspire players “to give more than 100% of their capabilities”, a quality Germany’s national side has appeared to lack during its recent tournament failures.
From Red Bull executive role back to the dugout
Klopp stepped away from frontline coaching after leaving Liverpool in May 2024, taking up the role of head of global football for the Red Bull football group. At the time, he said he needed a break from the day-to-day demands of management.
However, the opportunity to take charge of his home nation is set to draw him back to the touchline far sooner than many anticipated.
It is expected that Klopp will sign a contract with the DFB running through to the 2030 World Cup, giving him potentially two major tournaments – including the 2028 European Championship – to rebuild and reshape the national team.
With Germany under pressure to restore pride after a series of damaging exits, Hainer’s endorsement underlines how even within Bayern – the club most frequently on the receiving end of Klopp’s domestic successes – there is a growing belief that only his personality and pedigree are strong enough to engineer a revival.
