The former RB Leipzig boss and current Red Bull sports director Oliver Mintzlaff arranged the deal: Jürgen Klopp will become world football boss at Red Bull on January 1st.
09.10.2024 | 1:27 min
The news reached football Germany like a meteorite on Wednesday morning: Jürgen Klopp is joining Red Bull. Jürgen Klopp, former coach of Mainz 05, Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool FC – one of the best-known, most successful and most popular trainers in world football.
The 57-year-old officially becomes “Head of Global Soccer” at the beverage manufacturer from Austria, whose involvement in German football is sometimes met with contempt and rejection. Red Bull owns 99 percent of RB-Leipzig-GmbH of the Bundesliga club Rasenballsport Leipzig. The contract with Klopp is said to be long-term and will come into force from January 1, 2025.
Business seat instead of a coach’s bench
:Klopp to Red Bull: Logical next step
Cult coach Jürgen Klopp as a pioneer of football at Red Bull. Is that understandable? Or maybe even logical in business football? A comment.
by Thomas Skulski
Klopp “excited” about the new commitment
The official job description for the position of overall head of football includes strategic planning for the development of the five Red Bull football clubs in Leipzig, Salzburg (Austria), Bragantino (Brazil), New York (USA) and Saitama (Japan). The group also holds a minority stake in Leeds United (England). So there are a lot of air miles ahead of Klopp. “I couldn’t be more excited about this,” he was quoted as saying in a press release.
The 57-year-old will primarily act as a “mentor for the coaches” and “advise the management of the Red Bull clubs”. This means that Klopp will also be at the side of RB Leipzig’s coach Marco Rose, who from now on has to deal with the shadow of the charismatic Swabian. And in the hierarchy he is superior to Mario Gomez, who is employed as “Technical Director” at “Red Bull Global Soccer”.
Jürgen Klopp becomes Red Bull’s world football boss. ZDF reporter Thomas Skulski reveals how he sees it in an interview with MiMa presenter Lili Engels.09.10.2024 | 2:17 min
Klopp should help strengthen the brand
The deal was orchestrated by Red Bull managing director Oliver Mintzlaff, who also controls the fortunes of RB as chairman of the supervisory board. For the 49-year-old mastermind, the signing of the popular football expert is above all a PR coup. Not only will the Red Bull football locations benefit from Klopp’s expertise and network. With its appeal, the brand’s importance can also be further expanded in less critical foreign countries.
“We are very proud of this outstanding and certainly the strongest signing in Red Bull’s football history,” Mintzlaff was quoted as saying. He described Klopp as “one of the most influential personalities in world football” and a “game changer for our involvement in international football”.
Disappointment on social media
What the new chief football developer expects from the Red Bull job is of course unclear. Officially, he is happy to be “part of an organization that is unique, innovative and future-oriented.” And the press release continues:
The role may have changed, but my passion for football and the people who make it what it is has not changed.
Jürgen Klopp, Red Bull press release
He started as “the normal one” and then led Liverpool FC back to international greatness. On Sunday, Jürgen Klopp’s chapter as coach of the “Reds” ends.17.05.2024 | 1:36 min
Nevertheless, his local reputation as a fan-oriented and tradition-loving coach is in danger. Klopp’s former boss in Dortmund, BVB managing director Aki Watze, showed understanding (“I was informed”) and wished “Jürgen all the best”, but disappointment and contempt dominate on social media. Representing the main accusation against Klopp, one user on “X” said: “Klopp and Red Bull? Ridiculous. The guy who once stood for passion and real emotion is now selling himself out to pure commerce? That’s not just one step back – that’s a betrayal of the game.”
Exit clause for national coaching job?
How long the popular hero of German football will work for Red Bull is of course completely open. It is said that Klopp has secured an exit option in the event that the position that actually appeals to him becomes vacant: German national coach. The contract of the current head of the DFB national team, Julian Nagelsmann, expires with the 2026 World Cup.
ZDFsportstudio on WhatsApp
What: Reuters
Do you want to stay up to date on sports? Then our sportstudio WhatsApp channel is just right for you. Whether it’s for coffee in the morning, for lunch or at the end of the day – you’ll get it the most important news directly to your smartphone. Simply register for our WhatsApp channel here: sportstudio WhatsApp channel.
