Germany national team coach Jürgen Klopp used his inaugural squad announcement at the DFB Campus in Frankfurt to deliver a wide-ranging address on national identity, urging the public to reclaim symbols of patriotism from political extremists. According to reports from regional media outlets including Süddeutsche Zeitung and Stuttgarter Zeitung, Klopp explicitly rejected right-wing extremism and introduced the concept of a “positive patriotism” during his press briefing.
“I would like to take the flag back for us,” Klopp told reporters on Thursday, emphasizing that he does not want to leave national pride to political actors on the far right. “I want us to wave it in a way that nobody thinks something is wrong with you, but simply that you feel happy and understand that you were lucky to be born, raised, or have moved to this wonderful country.”
Addressing Political Shifts and Regional Elections
The newly appointed national team manager anchored his remarks in recent domestic political developments, specifically pointing to the strong electoral showing of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in Saxony-Anhalt. Describing the vote as an event that left many citizens deeply unsettled, Klopp noted that while some found the outcome acceptable, a significant portion of the population reacted with genuine alarm.
Although clarifying that he is not a political expert, Klopp explained that he refuses to cede the idea of national pride to groups whose ideology conflicts with open society. “I don’t know anymore if you can or are allowed to use that word without it being misunderstood,” Klopp said regarding the term national pride, opting instead to champion what he termed positive patriotism.
Balancing National Pride with Openness
Klopp insisted that expressing affection for one’s homeland does not require exclusion or hostility toward others. He argued that citizens can maintain pride in being German while simultaneously remaining open, diverse, friendly, and welcoming to newcomers.
To foster this mindset, the coach suggested that the public would benefit from taking stock of the country’s positive attributes more frequently. At the same time, he placed the cultural influence of professional football into perspective, acknowledging that athletic achievements cannot replace essential civil services.
“It is more important that we have doctors,” Klopp said. “It is more important that we have nursing staff. It is more important that we have very, very many people in many, many professions.”
The Unifying Power of German Sport
Despite recognizing that everyday infrastructure outweighs athletics, Klopp emphasized that competitive sports retain a unique capacity to generate shared community spirit and elevate public morale across the nation. He pointed to recent international successes across multiple disciplines as benchmarks for positive national representation.
Specifically, Klopp highlighted the achievements of tennis star Alexander Zverev, the national field hockey world champions, the atmosphere surrounding the home Basketball World Cup, and the European Athletics Championships held over the summer. “That is our assignment,” Klopp said of the national team’s role in influencing public mood. “We have to provide the right atmosphere, I know that. But for that, you need people who also accept it.”
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