Liverpool player Florian Wirtz and national team manager Jürgen Klopp spoke by phone for the first time just two days prior to an interview with RTL and Sky Sport, revealing that the newly appointed Germany boss and the midfielder had never previously met in person despite their shared ties to Liverpool.
An Unexpected First Phone Call for Anfield Connections
According to reports, Florian Wirtz and Jürgen Klopp share a connection through the FC Liverpool ecosystem, yet their paths had surprisingly never crossed until a recent telephone conversation.
Wirtz joined the Reds in the summer of 2025 for a reported transfer fee of 125 million euros from Bayer Leverkusen. Klopp managed the English club from 2015 to 2024, winning both the English championship and the Champions League.
Playmaker Welcomes Long-Awaited Contact with Klopp
“We actually called each other for the first time two days ago. I had never had any contact with him before,” Wirtz told RTL and Sky Sport.
The 23-year-old playmaker added that he was well aware of Klopp’s admiration for him.
“I had already heard that he had talked about me a time or two. People here at the club told me about him, and so it was pretty cool that I got to know him a little bit, could talk to him, and it definitely pleased me very much,” Wirtz said.
Upcoming Squad Selection and Herzogenaurach Gathering
A direct personal meeting between the player and the manager is expected soon. Jürgen Klopp is scheduled to announce his first national team squad on September 17.
Four days following the announcement, he will gather his selected players at the DFB training headquarters in Herzogenaurach to begin preparations.
Nations League Campaign Opens Against the Netherlands
Germany will face arch-rivals the Netherlands in Amsterdam on September 24 to kick off their Nations League group-stage campaign.
Wirtz is widely anticipated to feature in Klopp’s inaugural squad as the former Liverpool manager embarks on his tenure leading the German national side.
Worth a look
