Jürgen Klopp unveiled an expanded 44-man Germany squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League campaign on Wednesday, using his first press conference as national team coach to wear a specialized cap and urge Germans to reclaim the national flag following recent far-right electoral gains.
A Divided 44-Man Roster for an Extended Three-Week Break
Taking charge of his first international squad following a two-year break after leaving Liverpool and a subsequent stint overseeing Red Bull’s football operation, Klopp has opted for an unusually large group of 44 players. This expanded roster will be split into two separate squads to manage an extended three-week international break filled with four League A Group B fixtures in the Nations League.
Star players such as Florian Wirtz and Kai Havertz have been separated across the groupings, with the former Liverpool manager noting that the setup turns the upcoming matches against the Netherlands, Greece, and Serbia into an extended audition for places ahead of the 2028 European Championship. The first group will handle the opening two fixtures, while the second takes over for the remaining matches.
Notable absentees include Galatasaray winger Leroy Sane, along with injured or unfit midfielders Leon Goretzka and Pascal Gross. Meanwhile, Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger and Bayern Munich legend Manuel Neuer are missing from the setup because they have both announced their retirement from international football since the summer World Cup. Ajax goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen steps in as first-choice keeper in Neuer’s absence.
Sixteen Uncapped Talents and a Proactive Bundesliga Tour
Klopp’s roster includes 16 uncapped players, injecting fresh youth alongside established names. Among the new faces are Koln teenager Said El Mala, Eintracht Frankfurt forward Younes Ebnoutalib, Brentford midfielder Vitaly Janelt, Freiburg defender Max Rosenfelder, and Leipzig’s Brajan Gruda, who turned down the opportunity to represent Albania to accept the call.
The selection also introduces tactical shifts. New right-back options include Freiburg’s Philipp Treu and newly-promoted SV Elversberg’s 23-year-old talent Felix Keidel—whose inclusion was leaked by the press ahead of the official announcement, prompting Klopp to criticize reporters for the leak. The arrival of fresh defensive choices allows 114-cap star Joshua Kimmich to return to a midfield role after playing in defense under previous coach Julian Nagelsmann.
This roster overhaul follows a proactive Bundesliga tour where Klopp visited training grounds at Bayern Munich, VfB Stuttgart, FC Augsburg, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Mainz 05 to evaluate potential call-ups in person.
Wearing a Specialized Cap to Rebuke Political Extremism
During the press conference, Klopp wore a baseball cap bearing the words one of 83 million
in the black, red, and gold colors of the German flag. The statement arrived directly in the wake of an election in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, where the hard-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party secured 43.8% of the vote, falling just short of an absolute majority in the regional parliament.
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“We had an election where some people may have thought it was OK, while others were saying, ‘my God, what is happening here?’ From my perspective as a sportsman, I can say that I would very much like to reclaim the flag for myself, for all of us. I want it so that when someone waves it, no one thinks: ‘What is wrong with you?’ Instead, I want people to understand: You are happy and realise how lucky you were to be born, grow up, or move to this wonderful country.”
Jurgen Klopp, Germany Head Coach, via BBC
Klopp stated that he preferred the term positive patriotism
to national pride, which he feared could be misunderstood given Germany’s Nazi past and the country’s sensitivity toward overt displays of nationalism. Franziska Hoppermann, secretary general of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union party, welcomed Klopp’s call not to allow extremists to monopolize national colors.
Laying Down Strict Boundaries With the German Press
Beyond political messaging, Klopp addressed intrusive media coverage regarding his personal life, pointing directly to the intense scrutiny faced by families during the tenure of his predecessor. Nagelsmann departed after Germany’s shock World Cup exit against Paraguay in the Round of 32, an elimination that triggered intense media inquests into players’ relatives.
Reiterating an ultimatum delivered during his initial unveiling two months prior, Klopp made it clear he would walk away immediately if his family faces any scrutiny.
“The day you don’t want me anymore, you say so, and I’m gone, without severance pay. If you say tomorrow that he’s rubbish, I’m gone. Not just one person; it would have to be more than that. If the DFB says he’s rubbish, I’m gone. If you behave badly and don’t leave my family in peace, I’m gone.”
Jurgen Klopp, Germany Head Coach, via Daily Mail
The Upcoming Nations League Schedule
Die Mannschaft begins its autumn schedule under Klopp when they face the Netherlands in Amsterdam on September 24.