I'm not finished — Klopp announces return to coaching on cards amid Real Madrid rumours

Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has strongly hinted at a future return to the dugout while emphatically dismissing rumours linking him to the Real Madrid job.

Speaking in Munich on Monday, March 23, during the official presentation of Magenta TV’s broadcasting squad for the 2026 World Cup, where he will serve as an expert pundit, the 58-year-old cleared the air on his coaching career.

"I'm certainly quite advanced for life at my age, but as a coach, I'm not completely and utterly finished. I haven't reached retirement age yet," Klopp stated. "Who knows what will happen in the coming years?  But nothing is planned in that regard." 

He also categorically shut down widespread speculation that he was in line to replace Álvaro Arbeloa at Real Madrid or Julian Nagelsmann on the Germany national team. "Has Real Madrid ever called me? Not once, not a single time in my managerial career," Klopp joked to reporters. 

"I'll take over at Atlético Madrid as well, preferably at the same time. Sorry, Madrid, you'll have to ring first. That was written by the same idiots. It's all just nonsense."

Klopp’s comments come nearly two years after his highly emotional departure from Liverpool in May 2024. After nearly nine transformational years on Merseyside, he stepped down from the role, explicitly stating he was "running out of energy." 

He was uninterested in taking another managerial job; the two-time Bundesliga winner pivoted to an executive position. In January last year, Klopp officially began his new role as the global head of soccer for Red Bull, signing a long-term contract running until 2029 worth an estimated €12 million per year.

In this capacity, he currently oversees the strategic direction, coaching development, and scouting network for the brand's portfolio of clubs, including RB Leipzig, Red Bull Salzburg, and the New York Red Bulls.