Jurgen Klopp has finally revealed his next move — and it’s not what most football fans expected. The former Liverpool boss, who stepped away from management in the summer of 2024, will return to the game in a new capacity: as a pundit for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The 58-year-old German confirmed the news in typical Klopp fashion, through a lighthearted video that mixed humor, nostalgia, and a touch of mischief — leading many fans to believe, for a moment, that he was returning to the dugout. Instead, Klopp made it clear that while he’s ready to “feel the grass under his feet” again, it will be as an analyst, not a manager.
After nearly two decades of relentless pressure in elite management, Klopp has chosen a different rhythm for this next chapter. Since leaving Liverpool, he’s repeatedly emphasized the need to recharge and avoid the stress that comes with leading a top club. “Going back to the sideline? I don’t miss anything,” he said in the announcement clip. “But now it’s tingling again — the grass, the atmosphere, the crowd. I want to be close again… just not as a manager.”
Klopp’s move to punditry marks a significant shift for one of football’s most charismatic figures. His new role with Magenta TV, a German broadcaster, will see him analyzing matches and providing insights during the 2026 World Cup, which kicks off on June 11 in Mexico. In the video, Klopp was seen chatting with German presenter Johannes B. Kerner, saying with a grin: “Hi Johannes, I’m in! See you in Mexico! Cool sentence. Except for Indiana Jones, probably nobody else can say it.”
This won’t be Klopp’s first post-management gig. Earlier this year, he took on a senior advisory position as Head of Global Football for the Red Bull organization, overseeing the sporting strategy of clubs like RB Leipzig, Red Bull Salzburg, and the New York Red Bulls. The position, reportedly worth around $8 million USD annually, allows him to remain connected to the game without the week-to-week intensity of a coaching role.
He also recently joined a German Football League (DFL) panel tasked with developing long-term strategies to improve the country’s domestic football system — a move widely praised in Germany as a sign of his commitment to the sport’s growth beyond his own achievements.
