Age, Biography, and Wiki
Jürgen Klopp was born in Stuttgart, West Germany. He began his football career as a player for FSV Mainz 05, where he spent his entire senior career from 1990 to 2001. After retiring as a player, Klopp transitioned into management, starting with Mainz 05 (2001-2008) and then leading Borussia Dortmund (2008-2015) before joining Liverpool in 2015. Klopp is known for his charismatic leadership style and tactical prowess, which have earned him numerous accolades, including two Bundesliga titles and a UEFA Champions League win.
| Occupation | Footballer |
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| Date of Birth | 16 June 1967 |
| Age | 58 Years |
| Birth Place | Stuttgart, West Germany |
| Horoscope | Gemini |
| Country | Germany |
Height, Weight & Measurements
While specific details about Klopp's height and weight are not widely documented, he is known for his energetic and dynamic presence on the sidelines, which has contributed to his iconic status in the football world.
| Height | 1.91 m |
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Dating & Relationship Status
Klopp is married to Ulla Sandrock, his second wife. The couple has been together since 2005 and has two sons from Klopp's previous marriage.
Klopp grew up in the countryside in the Black Forest village of Glatten near Freudenstadt with two older sisters. He started playing for local club SV Glatten and later TuS Ergenzingen as a junior player, with the next stint at 1. FC Pforzheim and then at three Frankfurt clubs, Eintracht Frankfurt II, Viktoria Sindlingen and Rot-Weiss Frankfurt during his adolescence. Introduced to football through his father, Klopp was a supporter of VfB Stuttgart in his youth. As a young boy, Klopp aspired to become a doctor, but he did not believe he "was ever smart enough for a medical career," saying "when they were handing out our A-Level certificates, my headmaster said to me, 'I hope it works out with football, otherwise it's not looking too good for you.'"
On 30 November, following a 2–1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion, Klopp saw Liverpool equal an all-time club record of 31 consecutive league matches without defeat, since the club's last defeat to Manchester City on 3 January, dating back to 1988. His side broke the record a week later following a 5–2 win over Everton. Following a victory against Red Bull Salzburg on 10 December that saw Liverpool top their Champions League group, Klopp signed a contract extension that will keep him at the club until 2024. In December, Klopp won his third Premier League Manager of the month award for November, after winning all four league matches with Liverpool. On 21 December, he led Liverpool to their first FIFA Club World Cup trophy, with victory over Flamengo in the final, making his team the first English side to win the international treble of the Champions League, Super Cup and Club World Cup. His side ended 2019 with a 1–0 home win against Wolves. The result extended Liverpool's unbeaten home run to 50 matches and gave Klopp's Reds a 13-point lead at the top of the table with a game-in-hand. Klopp was subsequently named as the Premier League Manager of the Month for December, winning the award for the fourth time that season. A 1–0 away win against Tottenham Hotspur on 11 January 2020 extended Liverpool's unbeaten run to 38 league games – a club record – totalling 61 points from 21 games, the most ever at that stage of the season by a side in Europe's top five leagues. On 1 February, Klopp's side won 4–0 at home against Southampton to go 22 points clear at the top of the Premier League; the biggest end-of-day lead in English top-flight history, and following second-place Manchester City's defeat to Spurs the next day, the largest gap ever between first and second in top-flight history. Klopp was subsequently named as the Premier League Manager of the Month for January – his fifth of the season so far – breaking the record for the most wins of the award in a single season.
Klopp has been married twice. He was previously wedded to Sabine, and they have a son, Marc (born 1988), who has played for a number of German clubs including FSV Frankfurt under-19s, KSV Klein-Karben, SV Darmstadt 98, Borussia Dortmund II and the Kreisliga side VfL Kemminghausen 1925. On 5 December 2005, Klopp married social worker and children's writer Ulla Sandrock. They met at a pub during an Oktoberfest celebration that same year. She has a son, Dennis, from a previous marriage. On 10 February 2021, Klopp confirmed that his mother, Elisabeth, had died; he was unable to attend her funeral in Germany due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
Klopp is close friends with fellow manager David Wagner, having first met him during their playing days at Mainz. Wagner served as best man at Klopp's 2005 wedding. Klopp said of their relationship: "In 1991 someone stuck us in a room together and that was the beginning of a life-long friendship!"
Klopp is a Lutheran who has referred to his religious faith in media interviews, stressing its importance. He said that he turned to religion more seriously after the death of his father, who was a Catholic, from liver cancer in 1998.
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Net Worth and Salary
As of 2025, Jürgen Klopp's net worth is estimated to be around $50 million (£39 million). His annual salary during his time at Liverpool was reportedly around $8 million to $18.5 million (£15 million to £16 million), making him one of the highest-paid managers in the world. His earnings also include significant sponsorship deals and advertising revenue.
Klopp's side started the 2019–20 season by playing Manchester City in the 2019 FA Community Shield, against whom they lost 5–4 on penalties. Having qualified as winners of the Champions League, Klopp's side played Europa League champions Chelsea in the Super Cup. With the scores level after extra-time, Klopp's side won 5–4 on penalties, giving Klopp his second trophy with the club. It was Liverpool's fourth triumph in the tournament, placing them behind only Barcelona and AC Milan with five titles apiece. In the 2019–20 Premier League, Klopp's Liverpool won their first six matches to move five points clear at the top of the table. After the fourth match week, Klopp was named Premier League Manager of the Month for August, his fourth award of the monthly prize. Their 2–1 away victory over Chelsea set a club-record seven successive away league wins and made Liverpool the first Premier League club to win their first six games in successive seasons. On 23 September, Klopp was named as The Best FIFA Men's Coach for 2019, ahead of Pep Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino. At the awards ceremony, Klopp revealed that he had signed up to the Common Goal movement, donating 1% of his salary to a charity which funds organisations around the world using football to tackle social issues. On 11 October, it was announced that Klopp had been named Manager of the Month for September, winning the award for the second consecutive month.
Business and Investments
While specific details about Klopp's business investments are less documented, his influence in the football industry is substantial. He has been involved in advertising deals with major brands like Puma, contributing to his net worth.
Klopp spent most of his playing career at Mainz 05. He was initially deployed as a striker, but was later moved to defence. Upon retiring in 2001, Klopp became the club's manager, and secured Bundesliga promotion in 2004. After suffering relegation in the 2006–07 season and unable to achieve promotion, Klopp resigned in 2008 as the club's longest-serving manager. He then became manager of Borussia Dortmund, guiding them to the Bundesliga title in 2010–11, before winning Dortmund's first-ever domestic double during a record-breaking season. Klopp also guided Dortmund to a runner-up finish in the 2012–13 UEFA Champions League before leaving in 2015 as their longest-serving manager.
Klopp is a notable proponent of Gegenpressing, whereby the team, after losing possession, immediately attempts to win back possession, rather than falling back to regroup. He has described his sides as playing "heavy metal" football, in reference to their pressing and high attacking output. Klopp has cited his main influences as Italian coach Arrigo Sacchi, and former Mainz coach Wolfgang Frank. The importance of emotion is something Klopp has underlined throughout his managerial career, and he has gained both admiration and notoriety for his enthusiastic touchline celebrations.
While playing as an amateur footballer, Klopp worked a number of part-time jobs including working at a local video rental store and loading heavy items onto lorries. In 1988, while attending the Goethe University Frankfurt, as well as playing for Eintracht Frankfurt's reserves, Klopp managed the Frankfurt D-Juniors. In the summer of 1990, Klopp was signed by Mainz 05. He spent most of his professional career in Mainz, from 1990 to 2001, with his attitude and commitment making him a fan-favourite. Originally a striker, Klopp began playing as a defender in 1995. That same year, Klopp obtained a diploma in sports science at the Goethe University of Frankfurt (MSc equivalent), writing his thesis about walking. He retired as Mainz 05's record goal scorer, registering 56 goals in total, including 52 league goals.
Upon his retirement from playing for Mainz 05 in 2. Bundesliga, Klopp was appointed as the club's manager on 27 February 2001 following the dismissal of Eckhard Krautzun. The day after, Klopp took charge of their first match, which saw Mainz 05 secure a 1–0 home win over MSV Duisburg. Klopp went on to win six out of his first seven games in charge, eventually finishing in 14th place, avoiding relegation with one game to spare. In his first full season in charge in 2001–02, Klopp guided Mainz to finish 4th in the league as he implemented his favoured pressing and counter-pressing tactics, narrowly missing promotion. Mainz again finished 4th in 2002–03, denied promotion again on the final day on goal difference. After two seasons of disappointment, Klopp led Mainz to a third-place finish in the 2003–04 season, securing promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time in the club's history.
Despite having the smallest budget and the smallest stadium in the league, Mainz finished 11th in their first top-flight season in 2004–05. Klopp's side finished 11th again in 2005–06 as well as securing qualification for the 2005–06 UEFA Cup, although they were knocked out in the first round by eventual champions Sevilla. At the end of the 2006–07 season, Mainz 05 were relegated, but Klopp chose to remain with the club. However, unable to achieve promotion the next year, Klopp resigned at the end of the 2007–08 season. He finished with a record of 109 wins, 78 draws, and 83 losses.
On 26 January 2024, Klopp announced that he would depart his role as Liverpool manager after the conclusion of the 2023–24 season, and take a break from football management. He explained that he was "running out of energy" and that he "cannot do the job again and again and again and again". Klopp also mentioned he "wouldn't manage another team in England apart from Liverpool".
The importance of emotion is something Klopp has underlined throughout his managerial career, saying "Tactical things are so important, you cannot win without tactical things, but the emotion makes the difference". He believes that the players should embrace their emotions, describing how "[football is] the only sport where emotion has this big of an influence". Ahead of the Merseyside derby in 2016, Klopp said "The best football is always about expression of emotion".
In his first two full seasons at Liverpool, Klopp almost exclusively employed a 4–3–3 formation, using a front three of wingers Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané surrounding false-9 Roberto Firmino, supported by Philippe Coutinho in midfield. The foursome earned the moniker of the 'Fab Four' as they supplied the majority of the team's goals over this period of time. Roberto Firmino's exceptionally high number of tackles for a striker under Klopp's management encapsulates his style of play, demanding a high-press from all his players and having his striker defend from the front. Following Coutinho's departure in January 2018, the remaining front three increased their attacking output and continued to create chances as Salah won the Premier League Golden Boot in 2018, before sharing the award with his team-mate, Mané, in 2019. In the early part of the 2018–19 season Klopp, at times, used the 4–2–3–1 formation, which he had previously used at Dortmund. While this was partially to account for a number of injuries to key players, it also allowed Klopp to accommodate new signing Xherdan Shaqiri, playing Roberto Firmino in a more creative role and allowing Salah to play in a more central offensive position. However, for the remainder of the season, the 4–3–3 formation, as with the previous two seasons, became Klopp's preferred setup as his side finished as runners-up in the Premier League and reached a second consecutive Champions League final, where Klopp won his first Champions League title as a manager.
Pepijn Lijnders, known as 'Pep' for short, is another of Klopp's assistant managers. Lijnders was already at Liverpool when Klopp arrived in 2015, having joined the club the year before under Brendan Rogers as under-16s coach, and then been named first-team development coach in the summer of 2015. A Dutchman himself, he left for the Eerste Divisie in January 2018, having accepted to manage Dutch club NEC Nijmegen. He rejoined Klopp's coaching staff at Liverpool in May 2018, as assistant manager. Lijnders is more hands-on, taking an active role in training sessions and being a vocal figure on the touchline. Klopp describes him as being "a real energiser". Lijnders has also confirmed he would leave Liverpool at the same time as Klopp, to pursue his own managerial career.
In October 2024, Klopp signed with Red Bull as their new Head of Global Football. He started his new role on 1 January 2025 on a four-year contract. It was also reported his contract has an exit clause that allows him to apply for the German national job, if and when Julian Nagelsmann steps down. The move received widespread condemnation in Germany. Fans and journalists alike have criticized Klopp for joining an organisation that uses the multi-club model, something he has been critical of in the past.
Klopp's popularity is used in advertisements by, among others, Puma, Opel and the German cooperative banking group Volksbanken-Raiffeisenbanken. According to Horizont, trade magazine for the German advertising industry, and the business weekly Wirtschaftswoche, Klopp's role as "brand ambassador" for Opel successfully helped the struggling carmaker to increase sales. He is also an ambassador for the German anti-racism campaign "Respekt! Kein Platz für Rassismus" ("Respect! No room for racism") and featured in a video for the song Komm hol die Pille raus by children's song author Volker Rosin to encourage young football talents. Starting in 2019, Klopp became an ambassador for Erdinger, a German brewery best known for its wheat beers. Klopp featured in an advertising campaign for the beer, telling bartenders to "Never skim an Erdinger." After Liverpool's title win in 2020, the Brewery also produced a special limited edition series of cans featuring Klopp's face and autograph, which sold out quickly online. In 2020, he signed a personal endorsement deal with Adidas, agreeing to become a brand ambassador and wearing their footwear in training sessions and future advertisements. In 2021 he appeared in an ad for Snickers. In October 2024, Trivago named Klopp as the face of their new global marketing campaign.
Social Network
Klopp maintains a strong presence in the football community through his work and public appearances. However, his personal social media profiles are not as prominent as his public persona.
Klopp's side finished fourth in the 2017–18 Premier League, securing qualification for the Champions League for a second consecutive season. Along with the emergence of Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold as regular starters at fullback, Virgil van Dijk and Dejan Lovren built a strong partnership at the heart of Liverpool's defence, with the Dutchman being credited for improving Liverpool's previous defensive issues. Klopp guided Liverpool to their first Champions League final since 2007 in 2018 after a 5–1 aggregate quarter-final win against eventual Premier League champions, Manchester City and a 7–6 aggregate win over Roma in the semi-final. However, Liverpool went on to lose in the final 3–1 to Real Madrid. This was Klopp's sixth defeat in seven major finals. Despite their attacking prowess, Klopp's side had been criticised for their relatively high number of goals conceded, something which Klopp sought to improve by signing defender Virgil van Dijk in the January transfer window, for a reported fee of £75 million, a world record transfer fee for a defender. In the summer transfer window, Klopp made a number of high-profile signings including midfielders Naby Keïta and Fabinho, forward Xherdan Shaqiri and goalkeeper Alisson.
The week approaching Klopp's final game for the club consisted of numerous media outlets releasing interviews and tributes surrounding his departure; Klopp describing it as "the most intense week". On 17 May 2024, Sky Sports Premier League released a YouTube video where past and present Liverpool players paid homage to Klopp with club legend Steven Gerrard, stating: "I hope there's a statue in the making" and Jamie Carragher stating that "Klopp is the Shankly of this era". His last match was a 2–0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield. At the start of the match fans banners and postered were seen across the Kop with a notable one saying: "Doubters. Believers. Conquerors." After the full-time whistle, an on-pitch appreciation award ceremony ensued with John W. Henry presenting awards to Klopp and his coaching team, Thiago Alcântara and Joël Matip. Klopp and his coaching team wore a red jumper with 'I'll Never Walk Alone Again' on the rear and 'Thank You Luv' on the front – a phrase he closely associates with the city of Liverpool. Klopp was showered with honoured and presented with replicas of all the trophies he has won in nearly nine years at the club before making a speech to the fans. During his speech he encouraged the fans to welcome and embrace the new manager, Arne Slot with belief; Klopp stating: "You welcome the new manager like you welcomed me. You go all-in from the first day. And you keep believing and you push the team. Change is good." He proceeded to chant "Arne Slot, La La La La La" (in the rhythm of Austrian band Opus's song "Live Is Life") and ignited the fans chanting. To end the ceremony, a rendition of "You'll Never Walk Alone" was sung by fans and the players whilst tears flowed throughout the stadium. The farewell celebrations were concluded with an event held M&S Bank Arena called "An evening with Jurgen Klopp", hosted by comedian John Bishop on 28 May 2024.
Whilst Klopp is no longer the manager of Liverpool, he remains connected to the club after becoming an ambassador of the LFC Foundation, the club's charity. In his post-match press conference following his final game in charge, he was quoted as saying "I don't imagine that the club will need my help in the future, but if the city needs me, I'm there."
In June 2020, Manchester United's record goalscorer Wayne Rooney responded to Klopp's dismissal of the suggestion that he could emulate Alex Ferguson's success at Manchester United, saying "Klopp says it's impossible for any club to dominate like United once did, but he is wrong. [...] I think if Klopp, who is only 53, stayed at Anfield for the next ten years, Liverpool would win at least five Premier League titles. He could keep building great sides because, as I mentioned, players join clubs to work with managers as good as him."
Education
Klopp's educational background is not detailed in available sources. His career path has been more focused on his football journey from playing to managing.
Klopp confessed that as a player he felt more suited to a managerial role, describing himself by saying "I had fourth-division feet and a first-division head." Recalling his trial at Eintracht Frankfurt where he played alongside Andreas Möller, Klopp described how his 19-year-old self thought, "if that's football, I'm playing a completely different game. He was world-class. I was not even class." As a player, Klopp closely followed his manager's methods on the training field as well as making weekly trips to Cologne to study under Erich Rutemöller to obtain his Football Coaching Licence.
Success eluded Klopp's Liverpool side in domestic cup competitions in 2018–19. On 26 September 2018, Klopp's side were knocked out in the third round of the League Cup after losing 2–1 to Chelsea, their first defeat of the season in all competitions, and were knocked out of the FA Cup after losing 2–1 to Wolves in the third round. Despite a lack of success in domestic cup competitions, Liverpool enjoyed a vintage run in the 2018–19 UEFA Champions League. Klopp's side finished second in their group by virtue of goals scored to qualify for the knockout phase, before drawing German champions Bayern Munich in the round of 16. A scoreless draw in the first leg, followed by 3–1 victory in the second leg at the Allianz Arena saw Liverpool qualify for the quarter-finals. Liverpool won their quarter-final tie against Porto with an aggregate score of 6–1 to advance to the semi-finals, where Klopp's Liverpool faced tournament favourites Barcelona. After suffering a 3–0 defeat at the Nou Camp, Klopp reportedly asked his players to "just try" or "fail in the most beautiful way" in the second leg of the tie at Anfield. In the second leg, Klopp's side overturned the deficit with a 4–0 win, advancing to the final 4–3 on aggregate, despite Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino being absent with injuries, in what was described as one of the greatest comebacks in Champions League history. In the final at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid against Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool won 2–0 with goals from Salah and Divock Origi, despite only having 39% possession over the course of the game, giving Klopp his first trophy with Liverpool, his first Champions League title, and the club's sixth European Cup/Champions League title overall.
"I'm on the left, of course. More left than middle. I believe in the welfare state. I'm not privately insured. I would never vote for a party because they promised to lower the top tax rate. My political understanding is this: if I am doing well, I want others to do well, too. If there's something I will never do in my life it is vote for the right'."
