Jürgen Klopp could be on his way to a sensational return to football management.
The iconic German coach, who left Liverpool after the 2023/24 season to take a sabbatical, has now been linked with an incredible career choice.
According to Sport, citing UOL Esporte, Jürgen Klopp is open to returning to the coaching job – but only for a project that really interests him. As of now, there are only two such projects: Brazil’s men’s national team and Real Madrid.
Read: Wants Ole Gunnar Solskjaer back as Manchester United coach
Brazil seems like a fantasy opportunity (a coach who wants to work actively would hardly choose a national team where you hardly work most of the year), but Real Madrid is a transfer with a certain realism.
Los Blancos are one of the biggest clubs in the world, with enormous financial clout, and they also happen to be on the verge of a change of manager. There is a feeling that Carlo Ancelotti’s time at Madrid is coming to an end, and after a humiliating Champions League exit, he could even be sacked before the end of the season.
There are strong rumours that the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona will be Carlo Ancelotti’s last game as Real Madrid manager.
And as one of the most successful managers of the last 15 years, it is natural that Real Madrid will want to target someone of Jürgen Klopp’s calibre. A manager who is as skilled in crew management as in tactical structure.
But it still doesn’t make sense for Klopp to accept the offer.
Read on Popidol: Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal on The Accountant 2, sequels – and tightrope dancing
Klopp and Real Madrid: The vibe doesn’t fit
To be clear: Jürgen Klopp has every right to do exactly what he wants without anyone judging his choices. He gave each of his former clubs more than enough and led them to success they could hardly dream of when he took over.
Jürgen Klopp is one of the best managers of this century.
But taking over Real Madrid would go against his entire image. The youth nowadays might say that his “aesthetics” don’t match – and perhaps there is an uncomfortable truth in that.
For Klopp to become Real Madrid manager, the world’s biggest club, the “boss of the bosses”, would be in complete contrast to his entire career so far.
Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool are of course no small clubs – they are giant teams with a long history of success.
But none of them are the absolute largest in their own country. Both are in second place, behind an even bigger monster that exerts (or pretends to exert) enormous cultural influence over the country’s football landscape.
If Klopp had agreed to coach Bayern Munich or Manchester United (something he was asked to do several times!) after leaving Dortmund, we might have understood a later move to Real Madrid. It would be a natural progression both in terms of club size and club philosophy.
Rebel position
But he waited and joined Liverpool – who, once again, are clearly second behind United. And while United are a pathetic circus on the pitch, Klopp’s Liverpool were also second on the pitch behind Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
It would make more sense for Klopp to coach Barcelona than Real Madrid.
And that suited Klopp perfectly. The rebel position. The hunt for the top.
He never gave the impression of being someone who went with the flow. Or that he wanted to. Liverpool reinforced the “values” he established in Dortmund.
A club that, even in a globalized sport, is very local. A club that is rooted in its city, with real, tangible roots that have not yet been torn apart by the soulless commercialism of modern football.
The next “logical” step for Klopp – if there had to be one (and it really doesn’t have to) – would actually be Barcelona. They are a club that fits better with the Liverpool and Dortmund vibe. Bigger and more commercial than Liverpool, yes, but still locally rooted. Closely linked to Catalonia, La Masia, and the identity they stand for.
“This means more” is just another way of saying “Més que un club”, isn’t it?
Klopp and Real Madrid: A tactical match?
But Real Madrid? Empire? Thanos? The armies of Mordor? Emperor Shaddam IV? It’s not the Jürgen Klopp we know and love! Although it would be very Paul Atreides-like of Klopp to end up in Madrid after Mainz, Dortmund and Liverpool.
In terms of football, Real Madrid are actually well equipped to play Klopp football. They have a midfield full of world-class athletes, attackers with frightening speed, and they are in the process of signing Trent Alexander-Arnold as their new creative right-back.
(Jürgen Klopp gave Trent Alexander-Arnold his debut in 2017.)
All that’s left is to convince Kylian Mbappé to press consistently (and if anyone can do it, it’s Klopp with his super hugs) and find the next Virgil van Dijk to anchor the defence. Then Jürgen Klopp’s Real Madrid could become Super Liverpool II Turbo: Hyper Fighting.
And Liverpool fans would forever wonder if it was Klopp who lured Trent Alexander-Arnold to Madrid in the first place – which would have exacerbated heartbreak and anger over losing the team’s best Scouser at the peak of his career.
Read on F7: Alexander Sørloth towers in city derby!
