From consecutive Bundesliga titles at Borussia Dortmund to ending Liverpool’s 30-year wait for a Premier League title, Jürgen Klopp has been ranked as one of the best managers in world football. 

Klopp, who began his professional coaching career in the German second division with Mainz 05, burst into the scene following his appointment at Dortmund. He successfully took them to the top of the league as title contenders along with Bayern Munich.

Compared to other German football managers, Klopp utilises the Gegenpressing style of play, a football tactic employed by some of the top German coaches that have been effective for him in the Premier League.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UqWhlkl0wAA

Today, Liverpool FC and Manchester City are two of the biggest teams in the EPL, having the best tactical approach to the game. A system that differentiates Liverpool from the rest of the teams in the Premier League.

Since taking over the job at Anfield, Klopp has built a stable team around a mixed blend of the academy, established and young players. At least, Liverpool boasts of having a strong “B Team” outside the first team.

With Liverpool FC, Jürgen Klopp has won some of the biggest trophies in world football, including the Premier League, Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup.

Jürgen Klopp teams coached, trophies, tactics

Jürgen Klopp Trophies in a nutshell

Liverpool Football Club

• Premier League (1): 2019–20
• EFL Cup (1): 2021–2
• UEFA Champions League (1): 2018–19
• UEFA Super Cup (1): 2019
• FIFA Club World Cup(1): 2019

Borussia Dortmund

• Bundesliga (2): 2010–11, 2011–12
• DFB-Pokal (1): 2011–12
• DFL-Supercup (2): 2013, 2014

Mainz 05

Bundesliga promotion: 2003–04

Jürgen Klopp’s team was coached from Mainz 05, Dortmund and Liverpool FC

Eintracht Frankfurt (U13)

Dates Joined: 1987–1988

Mainz 05

Dates Joined: 2001–2008

Jürgen Klopp’s first professional job was at Mainz 05, where he returned upon retirement from football. The German took up the tough job in the German second division with the task to take the team-high above the German football pyramid.

Nadine Winter, bearbeitet von CKA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Mainz had been outside the German Bundesliga for years, moving through the lower cadre of the football pyramid until finally settling in the 2. Bundesliga in the 1988/89 season. 

Before Jürgen Klopp’s appointment by Mainz 05, the club had finished 9th in the previous season under Dirk Karkuth. 

Klopp’s appointment marked a new era in the history of the club. And after four seasons, Mainz earned a promotion to the Bundesliga and spent three uninterrupted seasons before returning to the second division.

With Mainz 05 relegation and failure to secure promotion back to the top flight, Klopp resigned in 2008.

Jürgen Klopp Trophies at Mainz 05

He won the 2003–04 Bundesliga 2 ticket with Mainz 05.

Borussia Dortmund

Dates Joined: 2008–2015

The same year of his resignation from the top job at Mainz 05, Jürgen Klopp joined Borussia Dortmund as the club’s new manager. He chose the Yellow Wall ahead of lucrative offers from clubs like Bayern Munich.

Axel Schwenke from Meschede, Deutschland, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Settling as Dortmund’s new manager, Klopp edged Bayern Munich to claim the 2008 DFL Supercup after an impressive two goals in four minutes looked too much for the Bavarians to overturn.

When he joined Dortmund in the summer of 2008, the yearnings and desires of fans of the club across Germany were given much hope. It was the time for a fresh start for The Yellow Wall after years of decline in the German football scene.

Although Dortmund’s vast crowd still trooping in their numbers into Signal Iduna Park, Klopp’s appointment revitalised the atmosphere at the stadium, with an increased number of fans visiting every matchday.

How did it come to fruition? Klopp’s hunger and passion for football, a drive that has helped grow the sport in the country from the early years up until now.

2010/11 Klopp at Dortmund

Klopp took Dortmund back to the top of the Bundesliga’s standings. The start wasn’t promising, and Klopp wasn’t prepared to set the big target even though his aspirations were clear; he wanted the ultimate price. And it was the time for Barrios to continue with his goal-scoring and Lewandowski to become a top prospect.

Winning seven consecutive matches in the 2010/11 Bundesliga campaign, Dortmund were on course for the German league title. In the end, it became Klopp’s first major title and Dortmund’s seventh German Championship.

2011/12 Double Winners

With a crop of young and talented players with a supercharged Mario Gotze, Dortmund were ruthless throughout the campaign.

In the title decider against Bayern Munich, goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller saved Arjen Robben’s spot-kick to put Dortmund on the winning side. Borussia Dortmund finished the season with a 28-game unbeaten streak and a club record eighty goals.

2012/13 UEFA Champions League finalists

A supercharged team led by Jürgen Klopp’s tactics, Dortmund edged past Real Madrid to the Champions League final whilst battling for the Bundesliga.

Dortmund facing Bayern Munich in the Champions League final was a repeat of the Der Klassiker on the European scene. In the end, The Yellow Wall fell to a 2-1 loss to Bayern Munich and only managed to finish second place in the Bundesliga.

Jürgen Klopp Trophies at Borussia Dortmund

Dortmund’s performance announced Klopp’s emergence in the European football team. He guided Dortmund to back to back Bundesliga wins, DFB-Pokal, and runner-up in the Champions League.

Bundesliga (1 Title):  After nine years of Bundesliga title wait, Klopp’s new supercharged team won the league title back in 2011 and 2012.

DFB-Pokal (2 Trophies): Jürgen won the DFB-Pokal in 2012, which was part of the double that year and the Bundesliga title. His success in 2011–12 became the club’s third trophy.

DFL-Supercup (2 Trophies): under Klopp, Dortmund lifted the DFL-Supercup (the German Football Curtain raiser) twice in 2013 and 2014.

Liverpool Football Club

Dates Joined: 2015- present

Klopp’s departure from Dortmund after an incredible career heralded the beginning of a new era in English football that the German Football Tactics would power. In his first season, he led Liverpool to their first-ever European Final since 2007 following the defeat of the Spanish side Villarreal CF.

Fars Media Corporation, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

In the final again, another Spanish opponent, Sevilla, Liverpool, were overpowered despite an early lead. Sevilla came from behind to win the title tie, earning their fourth UEFA Europa League trophy.

The time was ticking for Jürgen Klopp, who’s been saddled with taking Liverpool FC back to the summit. The Reds finished the 2017–18 Premier League fourth and qualified for the Champions League.

This time, Klopp boasts of having some of the most talented players, especially in the defence, with players like Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold showing their full strength, coupled with the leadership qualities of Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool FC was ready for the task ahead.

Liverpool, however, lost in the Champions League final against Real Madrid despite boasting the strongest squad for the second. 

2018–19 Champions League Winner

For the 2018–19 season, the club started on the bright side with six consecutive league wins. At the end of the season, Liverpool FC finished second in the 2018–19 Premier League, registering 97 points. But the ultimate price was lifting the UEFA Champions League at the expense of Tottenham Hotspur.

Klopp kick-started 2019/20 on a bright note, winning the UEFA Super Cup and Liverpool’s first FIFA Club World Cup

2019/20 Premier League Hero

Years of struggles in the English top-flight since it was rebranded to the Premier League in 1992 haven’t been entirely successful for Liverpool.

But, Klopp changed the face of the team. She was guiding the club with a strong arsenal of players, from winning Liverpool’s first Premier League title and amassing a club record of 99 points and breaking several top-flight records.

Making Liverpool FC a strong force, Jürgen Klopp currently ranks among the Best German Football Managers and one of the best Football Managers in the World.

Jürgen Klopp Trophies at Liverpool FC

He brought the best feeling to Anfield after years of trophy drought. 

Premier League (1 Title): Jürgen Klopp ended Liverpool’s thirty year wait for the Premier League title in the 2019/20 season when he delivered another record-breaking performance.  He’s won one Premier League title with Liverpool FC

UEFA Champions League (1 Trophy): Back to Back Champions League finals, Klopp lost in the initial final to Real Madrid and won the latter against Tottenham Hotspur.

The 2017–18 UEFA Champions League final was disappointing for Jürgen Klopp, who had the best of chances at claiming the club’s sixth title. Klopp successfully won it against Tottenham Hotspur at the Metropolitano Stadium the following season.

FIFA Club World Cup (1 Trophy): in 2019, Klopp won Liverpool’s first-ever FIFA Club World Cup Trophy as the Reds became the second English team after Manchester United to win the trophy.

UEFA Super Cup and League Cup: Klopp also boasts one trophy in these competitions. Liverpool FC and Borussia Dortmund headline Jürgen Klopp teams coached on the European continent.

Jürgen Klopp Tactics – Gegenpressing

Klopp, compared to top German coaches like Ralf Rangnick, utilises the Gegenpressing style of play. Here, it’s all about heavy metal football.

Gegenpressing ensures your opponents aren’t allowed to keep the ball for a long time without pressure from your players. This tactic has worked well for him in the Premier League and other European soccer competitions.

As per Goal.com analysis of Jürgen Klopp’s tactics, Klopp’s team would immediately win the ball off their opponents as soon as they lost to help keep a balanced game and prevent them from launching more attacks.

And how does it work for Liverpool FC players under Klopp? 

The strategy for Gegenpressing often involves running at the opponents, a perfect example of what Diogo Jota does at all times. LFC players in the attack line would run and focus, with the defensive line playing high and the players winning off possession as the main aim.

Ranks amongst the few, Klopp is known for raising teams from scratch and turning them into title contenders and a force to reckon with. The English football scene is one of strongest where the best players and tactics are required to succeed. For the Liverpool FC manager, he’s done more to stay top of the rankings.