ONE TOUCH SUMMARY
- Jürgen Klopp warned that national pride should not be left to the wrong people, referencing recent AfD election gains.
- Jürgen Klopp announced a 44‑man squad for upcoming Nations League fixtures to evaluate more players.
- Jürgen Klopp emphasized football’s role in fostering community and open, diverse patriotism amid political tensions.
ONE TOUCH INSIGHT
Klopp’s first Germany squad is less a selection of players than a statement that national pride must be wrested from the far‑right. After the AfD’s 44 % win in Saxony‑Anhalt, he said he wants to reclaim the flag for anyone who feels lucky to be German, not for those who would misuse it.
To back that up he named a 44‑man pool for four Nations League games, capped the minutes of established stars like Florian Wirtz and Kai Havertz, and handed first‑team chances to newcomers such as Felix Keidel, Younes Ebnoutalib and Mika Baur, while recalling Karim Adeyemi after eleven months out and making Marc‑André ter Stegen the No 1 keeper.
The true test of Klopp’s vision arrives when Germany open against the Netherlands; a cohesive performance from this broad, youth‑heavy group will show whether his inclusive patriotism can translate into on‑field identity, or whether the experiment remains a political gesture.
WHY IT MATTERS
Klopp’s call to reclaim patriotic symbolism from far‑right narratives highlights football’s potential to shape social cohesion, especially as Germany faces political polarization and seeks a unifying national identity ahead of international competitions.
TACTICAL FIT
By calling up 44 players and rotating them across four Nations League games, Klopp aims to deepen squad options, assess emerging talent, and maintain freshness while implementing his high‑press philosophy.
THE DEBATE
Should national teams prioritize social messaging over pure sporting success?
Agencies
Thu 17 Sep 2026 06.42 EDT
Jürgen Klopp has said Germany’s football team can help ensure “national pride is not entrusted to the wrong people” after a recent far-right AfD election victory.
In a Frankfurt press conference announcing his first Germany squad, the former Liverpool manager referenced a recent state election win by the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany party.
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The AfD won almost 44% of the vote in the former East German state of Saxony-Anhalt on 6 September and expects strong results in elections on Sunday in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
Klopp took the Germany job in July after the four-time World Cup winners experienced a third straight early elimination at the tournament. The 59-year-old has often spoke out about social issues during his time as manager of Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund and Mainz.
While not mentioning the AfD by name, Klopp advocated for adopting “positive patriotism”, while saying: “I don’t want to entrust national pride to the wrong people. A crazy amount of things have happened not that long ago. There was a vote which some people probably found OK, but others would have thought: ‘Good heavens, what’s going on here?’
“From the perspective of someone in sport, I’d like to reclaim the flag for myself and for us. When we wave it, I don’t want that someone thinks: ‘What’s going on with you?’ I want that they think you’re happy and you understand how lucky you are to be born in this wonderful country or to have moved here and live here.”
Speaking of national pride, Klopp said he was “not even sure if one can – or is allowed to – use that term any more without it being misunderstood”. He said: “I can be proud of being German and still be open, diverse, kind and friendly.”
Klopp said it was more important that the country had enough doctors and caregivers but said football can “foster a sense of community here, allowing us to truly feel the power of sport”.
He took the unusual step of naming a 44-man squad for four upcoming Nations League matches, despite matchday lists being restricted to 23 players. “It’s very unusual that you’ve got four games in two weeks with the national team,” Klopp said. “I want to get to know as many players as possible in that time.”
Germany start away to the Netherlands, then play Greece home and away either side of hosting Serbia.
Florian Wirtz and Kai Havertz will probably be limited to a maximum of two of the games as Klopp looks to fit in more new faces and reduce the workload on players. Karim Adeyemi returns for the first time in 11 months after a positive start at Barcelona and Ajax’s Marc-André ter Stegen is the first-choice goalkeeper after Manuel Neuer’s international retirement.
Many of the players called up have never played for Germany. Some, such as the Elversberg midfielder Felix Keidel and Eintracht Frankfurt forward Younes Ebnoutalib, have played a handful of top-division games. Celtic’s Mika Baur, Brentford’s Vitaly Janelt and the Cologne youngster Said El Mala are among more new faces.
The striker Deniz Undav and winger Leroy Sané were not selected.
AI-assisted · generated from The Guardian reporting, not editor reviewed
