TV expert makes you sit up and take notice
Klopp about the DFB-Elf: “Everyone is replaceable”
June 21, 2026 – 7:38 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
The 58-year-old talks about the difference between the German team and the big tournament favorites – and explains an exciting insight.
Jurgen Klopp has the German national players in the national coach’s World Cup squad Julian Nagelsmann described as “replaceable” – and then immediately explained what he meant by this assessment.
Reason: Former Spanish international Michel Salgado explained in an interview on Magenta TV ahead of Spain’s game against Saudi Arabia on Sunday that players like Lamine Yamal near Spain, Lionel Messi in Argentina or also Harry Kane were indispensable for England. A player who German national team But the 50-year-old didn’t mention it.
“When Salgado said that, I just thought: Yes, we don’t have that problem,” said the long-time successful coach Liverpool FCwhich is for the sender during the World Cup 2026 works as an expert in the USA, Canada and Mexico. “If near France Kylian Mbappe injured, then Desiré Doué comes in, he’s still really good. But an Mbappé is a difference maker.”
“We don’t have it like that”
Klopp then confirmed: “We don’t have it like that. If you take Kane away from England – after the game we saw (Kane scored two goals in the 4-2 win against Croatia, editor’s note), that’s hard to imagine for me.” Things are different with the German team. Klopp made it clear: “Everyone is important to us, but basically – I hope this isn’t misunderstood – everyone is replaceable.” This is not meant negatively, but rather positively.
The 58-year-old continued: “We haven’t used Woltemade yet, but he can definitely play it in his own way. We haven’t used Maxi Beier yet, he can play it too. Leweling is there too.” It’s true that “it’s not Kane quality, it’s not Mbappé quality, it’s not Yamal quality. But it’s quality.” And national coach Julian Nagelsmann has one less problem: in an emergency, having to replace a player who is actually irreplaceable.
