KLOPP MAKES SURPRISE CAREER MOVE SHORTLY AFTER DISMISSING RETURN RUMORS
Jürgen Klopp takes on a new role with the German Football League (DFL) as part of an expert panel, while maintaining his position as Red Bull's global head of football.
Jürgen Klopp, the former manager of Liverpool, has agreed to take a new role with the German Football League (DFL), which he will do while continuing to serve at the Red Bull Group.
This comes after Klopp denied that he would be going back to managing anytime soon. 16 months ago, the German coach formally left Liverpool, handing over the management reins to Arne Slot in the summer of 2024.
After nine years at Anfield, Klopp led the team to Champions League success in 2019 and the Premier League title a year later. In addition, he won the League Cup twice and the FA Cup once during his time at Anfield, among other honours.
Since his leave, he has not accepted another coaching role. Instead, since January, Klopp has been Red Bull's worldwide head of football. He is responsible for teams including the New York Red Bulls, Salzburg, and RB Leipzig.
Klopp will now take on a second role with the DFL in addition to that one; the organisation revealed that he is a member of an expert panel that aims to improve the football scene in the country.
"Among other things, the expert group will examine the training and integration of talented players as well as the continued development of club standards and structures," the DFL revealed in a statement.
"The league committees will review the initial results in the spring of 2026, and all 36 clubs will thereafter discuss them."
"We are certain that the financial, regulatory, and sporting foundations must be correct to keep the Bundesliga and German football constantly competitive," said Marc Lenz, managing director of the DFL.
Together, we must come to the correct conclusions. In this respect, the expert group will offer insightful opinions.
Prominent soccer players, including Markus Krosche of Eintracht Frankfurt, Jochen Sauer of Bayern Munich, and Sami Khedira, a former Real Madrid player, will be on the panel with Klopp.
This comes after the former Liverpool manager recently stated that he has no imminent plans to take the dugout again.
In an open interview with The Athletic, Klopp said, "I was really pleased with Liverpool's performance. I watched a few games. However, it is not to say, "Oh, it is Saturday!"
"I had no idea when the games began. I had just left. I participated in athletics. We spent time with the grandchildren, had a good time, and knew that I would return to work. However, I am also aware that I no longer wish to work as a coach.
He said, "That is what I think," in response to a question on whether he would ever coach again.
"However, you are unaware. Everyone would remark, "You said you will never do it again," if I started over at age 65. I am sorry; when I stated it, I had 100% in mind! That is my current thought. Nothing is missed by me.
THOMAS TUCHEL NAMES EXPANDED ENGLAND SQUAD FEATURING FOUR SURPRISE NEW INCLUSIONS
Thomas Tuchel hands maiden England call-ups to James Garner and Jason Steele while omitting Trent Alexander-Arnold.
James Garner from Everton and Brighton’s goalkeeper Jason Steele have earned their first call-ups to the England squad. Alongside them, AC Milan’s defender Fikayo Tomori and Tottenham’s forward Dominic Solanke have also been included. However, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luke Shaw did not make the cut this time.
Jude Bellingham, despite being sidelined since early February due to a hamstring injury, is still part of the squad. Experienced centre-back Harry Maguire, now 33, has the chance to add to his 64 caps, while 20-year-old Kobbie Mainoo, who started in the Euro 2024 final, is also selected. Both last represented England in September 2024 but have been rewarded for Manchester United’s recent good form, which has lifted them to third place in the Premier League.
Luke Shaw, pushing for inclusion, has been overlooked once again. Instead, Tuchel has called up Newcastle’s Lewis Hall, marking his first call-up since Tuchel took over.
This squad is larger than usual, with players arriving in two phases during the international window. Tuchel explained on the Football Association’s website that the first group includes players who haven’t played much recently, aiming to broaden competition for spots in the upcoming US tour. Then, from Friday to Saturday, another group will join, including some who’ve had a short rest, to mix things up for the match against Japan.
England will face Uruguay at Wembley on March 27, followed by a home game against Japan on March 31. Looking ahead, the World Cup kicks off on June 11 in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, with England considered among the contenders.
Here’s the full squad breakdown:
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City), Aaron Ramsdale (Newcastle), Jason Steele (Brighton)
Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Lewis Hall (Newcastle), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Tino Livramento (Newcastle), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham), John Stones (Manchester City), Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan)
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), James Garner (Everton), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham)
WHY CAF STRIPPED SENEGAL OF THEIR AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS TITLE
Following a final walk-off, Senegal has lost its AFCON trophy in the boardroom, prompting an appeal to CAS by the FSF.
Moussa Niakhate finally spoke out after the Confederation of African Football’s shocking decision to take Senegal’s Africa Cup of Nations trophy away. After that wild walk-off in the final against Morocco, CAF backed an appeal and handed the host nation a 3-0 win by default. Senegalese players were furious; who wouldn’t be?
The boardroom decision completely flipped African football on its head. Two months after the final, the CAF Appeal Board tossed out Senegal’s victory and gave Morocco the win. It all started deep into stoppage time when VAR gave Morocco a penalty. Pape Thiaw, Senegal’s manager, lost it and told his players to leave the field. Eventually, they came back and finished the match. Still, officials said the walk-off broke tournament rules, so they took the title away. Brutal.
Niakhate, the 30-year-old defender who was key in Senegal’s backline, got asked about it before Lyon’s Europa League match with Celta. He’d already posted a photo with his medal and the trophy right after the ruling. He made it clear: nothing a boardroom says can erase what happened on the pitch. He said, “Out of respect for the club and with the crucial match in mind, I don’t want to go into too much detail. You saw my reaction on social media; it’s the same today. What I can say is that nothing has changed for me compared to what we went through in January. I’ll have time to talk about it again in due course; for now, I’m going to stay focused on Lyon.”
That final in Rabat was pure chaos, even before Senegal won 1-0 on the field. Most players followed Thiaw down the tunnel, but Sadio Mane stayed, urging his teammates to come back. Brahim Diaz took the penalty but tried a Panenka, and Edouard Mendy caught it easily. The game went to extra time, Papa Gueye scored, and Senegal thought they were champions again. It didn't matter; the walk-off cost them everything. The committee called it a 3-0 forfeit.
It’s harsh for a team that believed they’d gone back-to-back. Niakhate, who started six out of seven games, is now focusing on Lyon’s European campaign. Still, that boardroom drama isn’t going away, not with the international break coming up. Senegal’s already planning to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
