Klopp wants German team to help reclaim national pride from far-right

Frankfurt - Jurgen Klopp, Germany's newly appointed football manager, expressed his desire for the national team to help restore national pride, which he believes has been entrusted to the wrong people following a recent far-right election victory. During a press conference in Frankfurt, Klopp referenced the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party's landslide win in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, which won almost 44 percent of the vote on September 6.

The AfD is an anti-immigration party that is expected to perform well in upcoming elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

Klopp, who took over the Germany job in July after his previous team suffered a third consecutive early elimination at the World Cup, has previously spoken out about social issues during his time as manager of Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund, and Mainz. While not mentioning the AfD by name, Klopp emphasized the importance of adopting "positive patriotism" and stated that he does not want to entrust national pride to the wrong people.

In a sensitive topic for Germany, known for its history of Nazi rule, World War II, and the Holocaust, Klopp expressed his hope to reclaim the flag in a positive manner. He stated that when the national team waves the flag, he wants people to think that they are happy and understand how fortunate they are to be born in such a wonderful country or to have moved there and live there.

Klopp acknowledged that topics involving patriotism and nationalism can be challenging in Germany, a country still working towards atonement for its dark past. However, he firmly believed that football can foster a sense of community and allow people to truly feel the power of sport. On Thursday, Klopp surprised everyone by naming a 44-man squad for four upcoming Nations League matches, despite the usual limit of 23 players.

He mentioned that it was unusual to have four games in two weeks with the national team and expressed his desire to get to know as many players as possible during this period.