Renewed and with a smart and casual outfit, Jürgen Klopp looks different.
On Tuesday, in Salzburg, Austria, the surroundings unequivocally were. There weren’t historical castles, pleasant hills, or the familiar scenes of chanting fans and players warming up around him. Instead, vehicles and an in-house banner were on show. Corporate comfort. In those environs, the previous Liverpool coach made his first public appearance as energy drink giant Red Bull’s head of global soccer.
He still has his goofy smile and witty one-liners. Klopp said “I am the general” on his debut at Liverpool, where he breathed new life into the club and won everything. Here he spoke of being “Dr. Football” and less of “giving wings to others”, referring to Red Bull’s slogan and its supporting role in the football network, with its Americans and groups spread across all continents. .
The harsh reaction in some quarters to Klopp assuming this position is understandable. Owning Germany’s RB Leipzig, Austria’s Red Bull Salzburg, and the U.S.’s New York Red Bulls, among others, Red Bull has bankrolled professional soccer. In the Bundesliga, there’s considerable anti-Leipzig sentiment, given the brand commercially overhauled the defunct lower league team SSV Markranstädt into one of the land’s best-performing clubs, circumventing the 50+1 fan ownership rule.
In a romantic way, Klopp opposed football capitalism. Before saying yes to the conglomerate in October 2024, this dynamic, community-driven power organization ran organizations that bet lively football and connected with fans. Big business locked it into something more capitalist. Is Red Bull bringing in the 57-year-old for his astute mind? Kind of. But above all because it is Jürgen Klopp, brimming with an air of mystery and a huge exposure maneuver for the organization.
And despite all of Red Bull’s perceived mistakes, it’s the elite sport these days. Unaffordable for many, television packages are sold to groups and, mainly, to marketable individuals. Football clubs, in addition to Liverpool, also generate profits through tickets, merchandise, and industrial deals. Deep down, Klopp, an ambassador for Erdinger beer, probably wouldn’t enjoy the commercial aspect as much as the frenetic speed of a day’s exercise, but he knows that competing on stage is inevitable and necessary.
As monetized as it is, Red Bull’s football business has evolved human stars like Xavi Simons and Benjamin Šesko, not to mention Liverpool’s old and new players: Sadio Mané, Naby Keïta, Ibrahima Konaté and Dominik Szoboszlai. It is a perfect style for dynamic people and a football full of life. Could anyone blame flagship club Leipzig for knocking down one of the Super League’s avidly owning groups in a knockout match?Europe? Not really, in Germany the feeling is different.
Seeing Klopp fill such a position is quite strange, raising the question of why he’s driving the Red Bull movement if not fighting against it. Nevertheless, it’s worth remembering that he will reportedly—by no means confirmed—make around €10 million ($10 million) to €12 million ($12 million) annually with the brand, according to Sky Germany, with no clear evidence to suggest he’s earning more than at Liverpool. And, as he switches to helping coaches, spotting and nurturing talent, there’s no reason to suggest that won’t be a fulfilling endeavor.
Today’s Klopp may no longer be the purist he once was, however, the coach who delivered unforgettable memories is looking to locate his position in an ever-changing game. Love them or hate them, Red Bull groups have a chance to grow competitively, and Klopp can use his strategy and ingenuity to kick-start this disruptive bull.
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