Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann has resigned following the team's surprising last-32 exit from the World Cup after a penalty shootout loss to Paraguay. Several media outlets reported on July 3 that Nagelsmann accepted the German Football Federation's (DFB) request to step down despite having a contract through the 2028 European Championship.
Nagelsmann participated in a three-hour meeting at DFB headquarters in Frankfurt, where he was reportedly offered a severance package of seven million euros (approximately US$8 million), equivalent to about one year's salary, to leave his position.
If confirmed, Nagelsmann, 38, would be only the second national coach in German history to be sacked, following Hansi Flick in 2023.
His departure paves the way for former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who is reportedly the federation's preferred candidate to take over. Klopp, who left Liverpool in 2024 after winning the Champions League and Premier League, currently serves as Red Bull's global head of football and reportedly has a release clause allowing him to accept the Germany job. The 59-year-old remains highly popular in Germany and has been a pundit on German TV during the World Cup coverage.
Germany, a four-time World Cup winner, has struggled in recent tournaments, exiting at the group stage in both Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022. The team has not won a knockout match or kept a clean sheet at the World Cup since their 1-0 victory over Argentina in the 2014 final in Brazil.
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