Klinsmann praises Klopp’s XXL Germany squad: “Brave and refreshing”

Former Germany coach Jürgen Klinsmann has expressed his admiration for Jürgen Klopp's bold and innovative approach to selecting his first squad for the national team. In a surprising move, Klopp assembled a roster of 44 players, divided into two groups, for Germany's upcoming Nations League fixtures against the Netherlands, Greece, Serbia, and Greece again. Klinsmann describes this decision as "brave" and believes it has altered his perspective on the national team.

The former Germany coach sees Klopp's strategy as a deliberate attempt to gather a comprehensive understanding of his available options before settling on a permanent group of players. Klinsmann highlights the coach's inclusion of potential debutants, experienced players such as Marc-André ter Stegen and Serge Gnabry, as well as several young Bundesliga talents who have made their first senior appearances with the national team.

Klinsmann, who led Germany to a third-place finish at the 2006 World Cup, draws parallels between Klopp's willingness to make changes and the team's approach two decades ago. The coach has emphasized that the two groups should not be viewed as separate entities, but rather as a means to provide Klopp with a broad overview of the players before the next major tournament.

Klinsmann is optimistic about Germany's prospects under Klopp, believing that the new coach has the potential to build a team capable of competing for the European Championship title at EURO 2028. Klopp was appointed as Germany's head coach in July, with a contract running through the 2030 World Cup, with his primary goal being to lead the team to EURO 2028 and subsequently the 2030 World Cup.