Klopp has a pop!

New Germany manager Jürgen Klopp was officially introduced to the media today and wasted no time in letting journalists know where he stands.

The former Liverpool manager left Anfield in 2024 citing that he was "running out of energy," but he is now back to lead his nation. He replaces Julian Nagelsmann following Germany’s disappointing World Cup campaign, which saw them crash out in the round of 32 after a penalty shootout loss to Paraguay.

Nagelsmann faced intense media scrutiny and pressure, and the 59-year-old Klopp is keen to ensure he doesn’t suffer the same fate. He told journalists he isn't acting "against them," but rather "for them," hoping to improve the national side by working with a broader pool of talent.

He also made his boundaries abundantly clear: "If you don’t leave my family in peace, I’ll be gone"—a message the English press could stand to learn from as well.

Speaking at the press conference, Klopp said, "Jürgen Klopp being in the job doesn't automatically mean we're going to be world champions."

He added:

"Success is performance versus expectations. We need a new set of expectations. Many people have asked themselves, 'Are we as good as France?' If the answer is no, then that is not necessarily true. If the question is, 'Do we have players like Dembélé, Barcola, Mbappé?' then the answer is no, we don't—but we can still beat them.

"We don't want to play like Argentina, Spain, England, or France. We want to play like Germany—do it the German way, but very intense. Are we the number one team at the moment? No, we aren't; I accept that. Would we be happy to be the number two team? Then people would say we aren't number one."

This role is Klopp’s first in management since leaving Liverpool, though he recently worked with the Red Bull Group as their Head of Global Soccer. He has previously stated he has no interest in returning to club management following his successful stint in England, where he won two League Cups, an FA Cup, the FIFA Club World Cup, the UEFA Champions League, and a Premier League title.

He is joined by his former Liverpool assistants Pepijn Lijnders and Peter Krawietz, as well as his former Borussia Dortmund player, Sven Bender.

His first game in charge will take place on September 24, when his side takes on the Netherlands in the Nations League.