Jurgen Klopp makes surprise 2026 World Cup announcement as video captures ex-Liverpool boss wearing Germany national team tracksuit - but all is not what it seems

Klopp sent shockwaves through both Liverpool and German football circles when he released a dramatic Instagram video hinting at a sensational managerial return. The clip showed him pitchside declaring that the “grass underneath my feet” and the “heated atmosphere in the stadium” had awakened something in him, prompting widespread speculation that he was preparing to step back into coaching. The twist arrived only moments later, however, when he revealed the truth: his return to the touchline will be as a pundit for MagentaTV during the 2026 World Cup.

The video continued with Klopp joking about the assumptions surrounding him, stating that many believed they “always knew better,” before adding that he once thought he would never go back to the sideline. His remarks were framed deliberately to tease supporters, especially when he admitted that he felt the buzz again, describing the sensation as “tingling” after two years away from the dugout. But he made clear that this excitement did not signal a managerial comeback, clarifying instead that he would be working pitchside for broadcast coverage in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

An exchange with German host Johannes B. Kerner added to the intrigue, with Klopp enthusiastically confirming he would be part of the network’s team from the very start of the tournament.

The announcement arrives less than two years after leaving Liverpool and just weeks after reiterating that he may never manage again. Klopp's post-Liverpool career has been defined by strategic involvement off the pitch rather than front-line coaching. As Red Bull’s Head of Global Soccer, Klopp oversees football operations across RB Leipzig, RB Salzburg and New York Red Bulls, shaping their long-term development models. More recently, he joined a specialist DFL group dedicated to strengthening youth development and maintaining the Bundesliga’s global competitiveness, a role he accepted enthusiastically as part of his commitment to the future of German football.

Klopp’s dramatic announcement once again demonstrated the level of fascination that surrounds his future, especially after his legendary spell at Liverpool. Since stepping down in 2024, he has insisted repeatedly that top-level management takes an immense toll and that he may never return, telling The Athletic that although “that’s what I think,” even he cannot predict how he will feel years from now.

The reveal also fuels discussion about Klopp’s long-term intentions and whether the “tingle” he referenced signals an eventual shift back to management at some point beyond 2026. The visual of the ex-Dortmund boss wearing a Germany tracksuit is likely to have created a buzz amongst fans for the German national team, with it having previously been suggested that he might be interested in taking over in the future. But, for now at least, Klopp has committed himself to analysis and advisory roles, maintaining distance from the technical area while still engaging deeply with the game.

Klopp’s return to punditry marks his first major broadcast role since the early 2000s, when he revolutionised German football television during the 2006 World Cup as an analyst for ZDF. His screen-based tactical breakdowns, delivered alongside Kerner, were widely praised for their clarity and innovation, helping bring modern tactical analysis into mainstream German broadcasting. That first punditry era even earned him a German Television Award and helped establish him as one of the sport’s most promising tactical minds before he became a coaching superstar.

Despite Klopp's insistence that he does not miss coaching, moments like this announcement show that stepping away from the dugout has not fully removed his emotional connection to the pitch. The upcoming Liverpool vs Borussia Dortmund legends match at Anfield in March 2026 — where Klopp is expected to attend as LFC Foundation ambassador — has further fuelled talk of a symbolic temporary sideline return.

Klopp will also spend the first half of 2026 preparing for his role with MagentaTV, where he is expected to be part of the core punditry team from the opening match on June 11 in Mexico. His World Cup coverage is likely to include pitchside analysis, in-depth tactical breakdowns and live reaction to Germany’s performances under Julien Nagelsmann. The 58-year-old will also continue overseeing the Red Bull football group and fulfilling his newly adopted responsibilities within German football governance, and it doesn't appear likely that he'll be returning to the dugout on a full-time basis anytime soon.