“Even my greatest triumph as a manager was born from a disaster.” Jurgen Klopp

Jurgen Klopp grew up in the Black Forest, a beautiful place with good meat and beer. That region is known all over Germany for its hard-working people. Great football coaches came from the Black Forest. His father was very passionate about football, and he had a loving mother.

When he left school, the head of the school said: “I hope you can do something in football, because if not… I don’t have the best feeling for your future.” Jurgen played in a few local clubs, but chances of turning professional level did not look great. He studied sports science and worked to spare some money while playing for local clubs.

In 1990 his hard work paid off. Mainz 05 offered him a contract and he took the chance on the second division of Germany. Klopp was a striker who struggled with technique but compensated with speed, height and heart.

In 2001 he became manager at that same club. Mainz was struggling to find a good manager — 4 managers in less than a year. Players were tactically better than their managers, so the managing director decided to bring Klopp to the bench mid-season. Everybody saw him as a leader on the pitch even when he was still playing.

Their goal was to avoid relegation that 2000/01 season. He had an immediate impact on the team both tactically and mentally. His tactics favoured pressing and he was a great motivator since then. Klopp’s contribution was vital in achieving their goal.

The next season felt like a dream. Mainz 05 kept in the top positions for most of the season. In the last three games, they needed three points. Draw, draw, and loss. They missed promotion for one point. The following season would be similarly tight. Only that time, they failed for a single goal.

Still, Jurgen Klopp motivated people around the club: players, fans and other stakeholders. He said they had to believe and work hard. Everyone followed his lead. After another tight season, they achieved promotion by the last game day. Mainz fans celebrated emotionally. For the first time in their centenary history, they would go to the Bundesliga. Jurgen had tremendous importance in that achievement.

With a smaller team and few resources compared to others in the German top flight, Klopp managed to stay there mid-table for two seasons. In his third, however, Mainz were demoted back to the 2nd division. After trying to get back up and failing to do it, they decided to part ways with Klopp. The general manager of the club understood he was ready to be a manager of a top organisation with better resources.

An impeccable goodbye was set up for Klopp in Mainz — people were singing “You will never walk alone”. Tears crawled down his face.

Many top German clubs knocked on his door. He chose Borussia Dortmund. They had won their last title in 2002 but from then on they would worsen. Borussia had become poor in many dimensions: football quality, finances and stadium atmosphere. They invested in Jurgen, hoping to turn the club around. In his humble, emotional and charismatic ways, he worked towards their goal.

According to Sebastian Kehl, Dortmund captain at that time, the coach made a great impression since day one. His passion spread to the players as he instilled a pressing style of play and high work rate. The captain also stated that small improvements were made from the beginning and a positive trend showed.

In his first couple of seasons, Dortmund fought for the top 5 places. For 2010/11, everyone saw them as a very young, up-and-coming team. A blitzing start of the season changed this idea. 14 wins in the first 16 matches put them on top of the table with a comfortable advantage. Klopp was not looking at the table — they played match by match. He would turn pressure into enthusiasm. So much so, they persist and clung to that lead until the end.

Such a young, talented team winning a title popped to the eyes of the big teams, like Bayern Munich. Tempted by other clubs, players and staff stuck together at Borussia.

Expectations were high, but they started the following season on the back foot. Dortmund lost 3 of the first 6 games. When they put themselves together, they would never be beaten again. A very strong run grabbed them the second league title in a row. Besides, they beat Bayern in the cup for the first double in Borussia’s history.

Having celebrated the main domestic titles, Dortmund’s fans asked for the Champions League. In 2012/13, the German team faced a tough group stage. Real Madrid, Manchester City and Ajax. Dortmund went through unbeaten.

By the quarterfinals, they faced Malaga, which should not be a threat at first. However, after a goalless game in Spain, the situation would become complicated on the 2nd leg. Malaga were ahead 2-1 with four minutes to go. Ten thousand people already left the stadium since they would have to score two goals to be alive in the competition. Dortmund, unbelievably, did it. It was as if the yellow wall of the remaining fans pushed the ball to the goal, twice.

“Yellow Wall”: South Stand of the Dortmund Stadium

Credits: Pascal Philp, Suedtribuene, CC BY-SA 2.0 DE

For the semifinals, Real Madrid would be on their way. 4 goals from Lewandoski gave the lead to the German side on the 1st leg. They managed to hold on to it and qualify for the final. Their 2nd time in the club’s history in the Champions League final. Dortmund would face Bayern. Munich took the lead in the closing stages and won the most coveted trophy in European club football.

Especially from the summer of 2013, Dortmund could not keep their most talented players. First Mario Götze left for Bayern and then, in 2014, Lewandowski went to the same club, but for free. With more power to their big rivals, it became difficult to repeat earlier successes. 2014/15 was shaping up as a bad season. In April, Klopp announced he would leave the club at the end of the season.

A tearful farewell marked the end of Jurgen Klopp at Signal Iduna Park. In October, he would take another exciting challenge.

Liverpool announced the German coach in a famous press conference. To contrast José Mourinho’s arrival in England saying he was “a special one” when asked to describe himself, Klopp stated he was “the normal one.” Furthermore, in his first interview for Liverpool TV, he said: “We have to change from doubters to believers. Now.”

The energetic manager wanted to rebuild Liverpool. It had a great history with many Premier League titles and European trophies as well, although most of them were before the 21st century. Despite taking over mid-season, he began adjusting the team to his tactics. By February they came to the final of the League Cup. Manchester City beat them on the penalty shoot-out.

Liverpool went to the final of the Europa League. On their way, they passed their archrivals Manchester United and Klopp’s old team in a dramatic comeback at Anfield. Sevilla would beat the Reds in the final.

Over the next couple of seasons, they continued to improve gradually and stayed in the top four in the Premier League. In 2017/2018, they would evolve as top contenders in the European stage.

After climbing the high-pressure mountain of tough knockout stages, the Reds would face Real Madrid in the final of the Champions League. The all-powerful Spanish club that had won the two previous editions. Liverpool were beaten and highlights included two incredible mistakes from their own goalkeeper. “Jurgen Klopp has lost six of his seven major finals as a manager, only winning the DFB-Pokal with Borussia Dortmund in 2012” — wrote the BBC under stats of the final.

As Liverpool needed to improve on defence, they bought a new goalkeeper, Alisson Becker, and some midfielders in the summer. Virgil Van Dijk also joined the team earlier in the winter for the same purpose.

A great start for 2018/2019 put Klopp’s team in contention for the league title. They would fight until the last match against Manchester City. The Citizens won by a mere point. Liverpool scored the most points without winning the Premier League in history. Once again, so close, yet so far away.

In the international stage, Liverpool beat Bayern Munich to reach the quarterfinals of the Champions League. Then the always strong contender Barcelona came in the semifinals. After a 3-0 loss in Spain, it was easier to be a doubter. “We have to play without two of the best strikers in the world. The world outside is saying it is not possible. And let’s be honest, it’s probably impossible. But because it’s you? Because it’s you, we have a chance.” — said Klopp to the players.

A magnificent performance qualified Liverpool for the final. It was one of the best comebacks in European football. In the final, the Reds beat the less experienced Tottenham to give Jurgen his first trophy with the English team.

They carried on this form by winning the Club World Cup in 2019. Furthermore, they are on the verge of winning the Premier League in the current season. Although it was stopped by the global lockdown.

Along the way, Jurgen Klopp has turned many talented players to world-class and great footballers. He did so while making them play in a vibrant offensive style that has fans excited to watch it. Klopp became a reference in tactics and man-management.

Pep Guardiola and José Mourinho share the discussion of the best recent managers with Klopp. However, fans of Guardiola do not like Mourinho and vice versa. As to Klopp, I am still to meet someone who does not like him.

Klopp identified himself as “the normal one”, he is humble and does not carry himself as an extraordinary person. However, the charisma, energy and empathy he shows on and off the pitch to players, fans and media, make him unique. This dichotomy of being both relatable and an exceptional leader makes it difficult not to appreciate him.

“For me, football is the only thing more inspiring than the cinema. You wake up in the morning, and the magic was all real.” Jurgen Klopp

If you enjoyed this article, you should enjoy:

Liverpool: from near bankruptcy to winning the Champions League;

José Mourinho story: The “arrogant prick” who became a legend.