Jürgen Klopp has been Global Head of Soccer at Red Bull for a good year. Now the long-time successful coach takes stock – and tells us how he understands his role. At the same time, he takes a stand on rumors about Real Madrid.
It was just over a year ago when he started his new job. Red Bull, his new employer, invited people to Salzburg to present the royal transfer there. The media interest was great. But the presentation of Jürgen Klopp as the new “Global Head of Soccer” no longer caused as much of an impact as the announcement that he would be taking over this job a few weeks earlier.
Klopp has traveled a lot since then. He had many conversations – with players, coaches, supervisors and those responsible. Mainly from the clubs owned by Red Bull. He is still not interested in a comeback as a football coach, who ended his job at Liverpool FC in June 2024 after nine years. At a media round on the occasion of RB Leipzig’s Bundesliga game against FC Bayern Munich (1:5), the 58-year-old was amused by rumors that he could be Xabi Alonso’s successor at Real Madrid.
“I’m not thrilled when Real Madrid show interest in me, because they don’t really do that anyway, it’s all just media hype,” said Klopp, according to the “transfermarkt.de” portal. The former successful coach of Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool FC was “surprised, but at the same time not” that Real parted ways with Alonso. “It’s Real Madrid; Jupp Heynckes was fired there even though he won the Champions League. I don’t know what that says about Real Madrid,” Klopp explained.
At the same time, he emphasized that he would not currently swap his job at Red Bull for another job. “I know I can coach a football team, but that doesn’t mean I have to do it until my last day. I wanted to do something different. Red Bull gave me the chance to find a role that we defined together step by step. Personally, I’ve reached a point where I’m completely at peace with myself. I don’t want to be anywhere else,” the New York Times quoted him as saying.
Contact person for trainers
As Global Head of Soccer, he does not see himself in the role of hiring coaches for Leipzig or the other RB clubs New York in the USA, Bragantino in Brazil, Omiya Ardija in Japan or Salzburg in Austria. Red Bull also has shares in FC Paris. “Recently I heard that I am the gravedigger for coaches, but that is the last title I ever want,” said Klopp. He sees himself in an advisory role with power. “That means I listen and rely heavily on the people in the clubs. Sometimes I calm things down, sometimes I make decisions,” emphasized Klopp.
In his role as an advisor, he primarily wants to be there as a contact person for the coaches of all RB clubs. During his time as a coach, he often had to make decisions alone in his office. “My idea for our coaches is to be exactly who I never had myself,” said Klopp.
Many people would give advice or have great ideas, but it wasn’t easy to make a final decision. “That’s why I want to be there for them now, in the moments when the coaches feel alone,” said the 58-year-old. And further: “Talk to me about it. I won’t judge you. The coach has to be the one on the team who always has the answers. I want to help him find those answers.”
LaGa with dpa
