Key Takeaways:
- Julian Nagelsmann resigned from his position as Germany head coach on Thursday after the team’s World Cup round of 32 defeat to Paraguay
- Jurgen Klopp is currently the leading candidate to replace Nagelsmann, following two years away from management
- Germany exited the World Cup on penalties to Paraguay – marking their first-ever spot-kick loss at a World Cup
Nagelsmann Steps Down After Early World Cup Elimination
Julian Nagelsmann has stepped down as manager of the German national team, following the country’s disappointing exit from the World Cup at the round of 32 to Paraguay. Despite his initial insistence that he intended to continue, the 38-year-old was encouraged to resign by the German Football Association (DFB) during a comprehensive meeting held in Frankfurt. Nagelsmann attempted to justify the team’s early exit, but failed to sway key DFB figures, including Bernd Neuendorf, Andreas Rettig, Hans-Joachim Watzke, and Rudi Voller.
According to reports from BILD, Nagelsmann leaves his role with a severance package estimated at £6 million (€6m).
🚨💣 BREAKING | Julian Nagelsmann resigns as Germany head coach with immediate effect!
Decision made following Germany’s World Cup exit. Official confirmation expected shortly. As also via BILD. @SkySportDE 🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/SbkmVm2dbu
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) July 3, 2026
Spotlight on the World Cup Exit
Germany, ranked 31 spots higher than Paraguay by FIFA, suffered a 4-3 penalty shootout defeat after a 1-1 draw, marking their first loss on penalties in World Cup history. Notably, Die Mannschaft have not won a knockout fixture at the tournament since clinching the title in Brazil in 2014.
Nagelsmann, speaking in the immediate aftermath of the defeat, emphasised:
“I am not someone who runs away. This is not the first time this has happened, and there are some things about today that need to be changed. But if the DFB wants me to continue, I am going to continue.
“I know the mechanics of football, I know how the industry works. I know a lot of people will want me to leave but I would love to continue if the football association wants me to.
“If we did a survey today in Germany people would not speak positively about me today. But in football you win some and you lose some, it’s always been that way, we haven’t really done much in this tournament to make people celebrate, but I have a lot of confidence that we could have done a better job.
“But I don’t think that everyone in Germany will agree with me staying on as manager of the Mannschaft. It was very difficult because they were ultra-defensive. We didn’t give enough. When you exit the World Cup after you play Paraguay then it is very bitter. If you do not score many goals then it is not enough. It is very hurtful.”
Jurgen Klopp Poised for International Debut
Attention now turns to Jurgen Klopp, who is the leading prospect to fill the vacancy, signalling the possibility of taking on his first role in international management. The 59-year-old, renowned for his successes with Mainz and Borussia Dortmund, has been working as a pundit for Magenta TV throughout the World Cup.
Asked about becoming Germany’s new national coach after the Paraguay defeat, Klopp replied:
“I understand that my name is being mentioned. But this isn’t the moment to talk about it – and certainly not with me.”
He added:
“There are 500,000 ways to win a football match. You just have to find one. There was only one goal, one dream, and that’s been shattered. It was dramatic. We didn’t function and didn’t create enough.
“We all know how well the lads can play, but they didn’t bring that to the pitch. In three months we’ll be raving about Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala again, about how great they are. But not now.
“We can talk about the DFB. We absolutely have to change a few things. We can start with the U10s and wait a few years to see what happens at the top level.”
