Soccer
9 games that defined Jürgen Klopp as a coach
Jürgen Klopp, the footballing mind behind some of Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund's biggest achievements, is set to make a return to soccer. Take a look back at the key matches from his career so far.
Jürgen Klopp is returning to soccer with a new strategic role overseeing the Red Bull network of clubs.
Klopp has had a special bond with fans at every club he has managed – from his early days fighting for, and winning, promotion at Mainz 05, to Borussia Dortmund, where he won league and cup honours, and on to Liverpool where he capped even those achievements, winning a full house of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.
Along the way there were thrills, spills and some quite incredible comebacks. Here are nine matches that helped define him as a coach, games that will be impossible to forget for anyone who was lucky enough to be there.
01
Mainz 05 – Eintracht Trier 3:0, May 2004:
Klopp’s coaching philosophy was developed in Mainz
© Moritz Winde/Bongarts/Getty Images
Klopp’s ability to turn underdogs into contenders first became clear at Mainz 05. After a number of near misses, the team clinched promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time in their history, playing with the high-pressing intensity that would become Klopp’s signature. They did it the hard way. Going into this final game of the season, Alemannia Aachen were two points ahead of them in the fight for the final promotion spot, but their 1-0 defeat at Karlsruhe opened the door for Mainz to sneak into third. Two goals from Michael Thurk and one from Manuel Friedrich gave Mainz the win they needed, and started a wild party that lasted long into the night. Two decades on, the coach still ranks the achievement as one of his best-ever managerial successes.
02
Borussia Dortmund – Schalke 3:3, September 2008:
Klopp moved on to coach Dortmund in 2008. His first experience of the Ruhr derby was a chaotic affair that saw Dortmund fall 3-0 down in front of an 80,000 sell-out crowd, before an hour had gone. Klopp’s positivity and never-say-die attitude from the sidelines inspired his team to a dramatic comeback that was complete when Alex Frei netted in the 89th minute from the penalty spot – his second of a frantic game. The recovery showcased the belief Klopp had quickly instilled in his new squad and offered a glimpse into what was to follow in the coming years.
03
Borussia Dortmund – Bayern München 5:2, May 2012:
Klopp puts maximum energy into everything he does, including celebrating
© INA FASSBENDER/AFP/Getty Images
Klopp’s Dortmund completed the domestic double by dismantling perennial favourites Bayern Munich in the showpiece final of the 2012 DFB-Pokal, in front of 75,000 fans at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. Klopp’s tactical approach overwhelmed Bayern that day, with Dortmund defending compactly and attacking with clinical precision and speed. Robert Lewandowski was the star on the pitch. The Polish striker, signed by Klopp for just €4.5m in 2010, netted a hat-trick in what was a statement victory.
04
Norwich City – Liverpool 4:5, Jan 2016:
Klopp took over at Liverpool in October 2015 and this rollercoaster match epitomised the combination of chaos, entertainment and passion of his early days in charge, before they were challenging consistently for the league title. A game full of attacking brilliance concluded with Adam Lallana’s 95th minute winner, sparking emotional scenes in which Klopp lost and broke his glasses in the middle of the mayhem. “I have a second pair of glasses, but I can't find them,” he said. “It's really difficult looking for glasses without glasses!" The celebration only cemented the connection with the players and fans and proved an important milestone as he sought to make good on his promise of turning Liverpool “from doubters to believers".
05
Liverpool – Borussia Dortmund 4:3, April 2016:
An emotional night ended with a dramatic victory against his former club
© John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Playing against his former club in the quarter-finals of the Europa League was always going to be special for Klopp, but he could never have imagined it turning out like this! At 3-1 down on the night and 4-2 down on aggregate, Liverpool were all but out of the tie. But roared on by the home crowd, the Reds kept coming, and goals from Philippe Coutinho and Mamadou Sakho set up a grandstand finish. With Anfield bouncing, Dejan Lovren headed home in injury time to complete one of the most thrilling European comebacks in the club’s storied history… until the next one…
06
Liverpool – Barcelona 4:0, May 2019:
One of the greatest comebacks ever seen has gone down in Anfield folklore
© Alex Livesey - Danehouse/Getty Images
Klopp had some great moments under the lights at Anfield, but this was surely the finest. Trailing 3-0 after the first leg away to Barcelona and with key forwards Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino injured, nobody gave Liverpool a chance of overturning the deficit. Divock Origi gave the fans a glimmer of hope early on, before substitute Georginio Wijnaldum really got things moving when he scored two goals in two electrifying minutes just before the hour. They couldn’t, could they? Klopp’s tactical brilliance and ability to convince his players that anything is possible was demonstrated once again when Origi turned in Trent Alexander-Arnold’s quickly taken corner – a moment of genius from the defender – late on. The result left Lionel Messi and Barcelona utterly shellshocked and Liverpool marching on to the final…
07
Tottenham Hotspur – Liverpool 0:2, June 2019:
Klopp celebrates winning the Champions League final – at last!
© Matthias Hangst/Getty Images Sport
Klopp secured his first Champions League title – and Liverpool’s sixth – in this all-English final. After tasting defeat twice already in the showpiece final, the game at Atletico Madrid’s stadium was a case of third time lucky for the German. In truth, it wasn’t the greatest spectacle, but that mattered nothing as Liverpool scored early through a Mo Salah penalty and then managed the game calmly, a performance that showcased Klopp’s evolution as a manager who could balance high-intensity football with control when needed. Origi sealed the win in a performance that solidified Liverpool and Klopp’s own status as European royalty. “From doubters to believers to sky-high achievers” read the headline in local paper The Liverpool Echo the next morning. That felt about right.
08
Aston Villa – Liverpool 1:2, Nov 2019:
For many fans, this Premier League match was the defining moment in Liverpool's title-winning season. Down 1-0 in the 87th minute, Klopp's Liverpool somehow turned the game around with late goals from Andrew Robertson and former Red Bull Salzburg forward Sadio Mané. Klopp’s philosophy of giving it everything until the last breath, and never giving up hope, carried Liverpool over the line at Villa Park and reinforced the belief that they could finally end their 30-year wait for a Premier League title. They would go on to dominate the season and finish with a club record 99 points.
09
Chelsea – Liverpool 0:1, Feb 2024
Klopp described his final trophy with Liverpool as the most special of his career after inspiring a heavily depleted team to victory over Chelsea in the EFL Cup final at Wembley. Liverpool were without the likes of Salah, Alexander-Arnold, Darwin Núñez, Alisson, Dominic Szoboszlai and Diogo Jota and had a bench almost entirely made up of kids. After soaking up lots of pressure, and with youngsters like Bobby Clark, Jarell Quansah, James McConnell and Jayden Danns having come on as subs, club captain Virgil van Dijk scored in the 118th minute to seal a victory that filled Klopp with pride. He’d already announced he would be stepping down at the end of the season, but the performance of the academy players showed he was leaving the club a great legacy.