Jurgen Klopp has offered a major update on his future in management, more than a year after bringing the curtain down on his legendary nine-year spell in charge of Liverpool.
When Klopp first arrived from Borussia Dortmund in October 2015, Liverpool were a fallen giant. Since the mid-2000s, their only major honour had been the 2012 League Cup a sharp decline for a club that had once ruled Europe, lifting the European Cup five times.
Klopp quickly transformed the club’s fortunes, restoring belief and identity both on and off the pitch. He led Liverpool to Champions League glory in 2019, ending a 14-year wait for a European trophy, before guiding them to a long-awaited Premier League title the following season. In total, he won every major honour available during his time at Anfield, including the FA Cup, Carabao Cup, Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup.
His success on Merseyside should not have come as a surprise. Prior to joining Liverpool, Klopp had already built an impressive CV in Germany, winning two Bundesliga titles, two DFL Supercups and a DFB Pokal with Borussia Dortmund. He also famously took Mainz to the Bundesliga for the first time in their history.
Wherever he has gone, the German has been a catalyst for change and success. But now, it seems, the 58-year-old is enjoying life away from the touchline and, crucially, does not feel any urgent need to return.
Speaking to The Athletic, Klopp was asked whether he had been glued to his television when Arne Slot was appointed as Liverpool’s new head coach in the summer of 2024. His answer was typically blunt.
“Not at all,” Klopp replied. “I was super happy with the way Liverpool performed. I watched some games. But it is not like, ‘Oh, it’s Saturday!’
“I didn’t know when games started. I was just out. I played sports. We enjoyed life, spent time with the grandkids, completely normal stuff, knowing I will work again. But knowing as well, that I don’t want to work as a coach anymore.”
For someone who has spent 23 years of his life in the dugout first with Mainz, then Dortmund, and finally Liverpool the admission caught many by surprise. The interviewer pressed Klopp to clarify whether he truly meant this was the end of his managerial career. His response left a sliver of ambiguity.
“That’s what I think, but you don’t know,” Klopp said. “I’m 58. If I started again at 65, everybody will say, ‘You said you’ll never do it again!’ Er, sorry, I thought 100 per cent (when I said it)! That is what I think now. I don’t miss anything.”
The former Liverpool manager comments suggest he is not actively planning a return, but he has also stopped short of ruling out a comeback entirely. For now, though, he seems content to step away from the relentless pressures of elite football.
Liverpool, meanwhile, have navigated the transition impressively. Arne Slot delivered the Premier League title in his debut season, continuing the winning culture Klopp established during his tenure. The Dutchman has already stamped his tactical identity on the team while maintaining Liverpool’s competitive edge at home and abroad.
Klopp leaves behind an extraordinary legacy one that transformed Liverpool from sleeping giant to dominant force once again. And while his future may not involve the dugout any time soon, his impact on Anfield will be felt for generations.
