Jurgen Klopp has been introduced as Germany's new head coach and spoke about his relationship with predecessor Julian Nagelsmann after taking over from him. The former Liverpool manager said one incident during the World Cup still stands out as one of the worst moments of his career as he gets ready for a new challenge.

Klopp begins Germany role

Klopp has been officially named as Germany's new head coach, taking over from Nagelsmann as the 13th man to be in charge of the national side. The former Liverpool boss was presented by the German Football Association (DFB) in Frankfurt, and Klopp now has the responsibility of helping the four-time world champions get back to the summit of international football.

Regret over Nagelsmann moment

One of the first subjects Klopp spoke about was his relationship with Nagelsmann after the World Cup, making it clear that there had been no contact between them since then. Speaking at a press conference, as quoted by Sky Sport, he said: "I've had no contact since the World Cup. I respect Julian Nagelsmann enormously. The day with the 'still' comment was one of the worst days of my life. I could have done without it, but it happened now. I wish Julian nothing but the best."

Klopp's controversial World Cup moment

Klopp had to apologise to Nagelsmann live on German TV during the World Cup. While working as a pundit during Germany's opening match against Curacao, Klopp made a slip of the tongue when he said: "Luckily, Julian Nagelsmann is still picking the team." The use of the word "still" created controversy back home.

After the match, Klopp said: "I’ve already found the most hated word of the year: ‘Still’. I could have punched myself in the face for that, but it was already too late and I was on TV. It just slipped out so casually and has absolutely no relevance."

Speaking directly to Nagelsmann on air, Klopp said: "There’s one more thing I have to say… we still need to make time for this. We’re also informally part of the team, we’re absolutely on your side. What I’ve realized is: I’ll be 59 the day after tomorrow and I’m still an idiot. We are completely on your side, whatever you do. Nothing was intended to come of it to disrupt the process here."

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Focus turns to rebuilding

Klopp's immediate focus will be on building relationships with his players and laying the base for his Germany squad. With his first stint as national team head coach now underway, the experienced coach is hoping to lead Germany back among the world's top football nations after their shock exit in the round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup.

"I don't know what my daily routine will be like yet; I'm almost glad it doesn't start tomorrow," Klopp explained at Friday's press conference. "I live in Wiesbaden and will certainly be in Frankfurt often. I'll watch games in every country our players are in. I think it's more important to have more contact with the players than just watching them play. I'll try to get in touch with the players quickly."