Jurgen Klopp is the manager of Premier League team Liverpool. He is a German professional football manager and former player. He is widely considered one of the world's top managers. Liverpool's manager, Jurgen Klopp, was appointed in 2015. In 2018 and 2019, he led Liverpool to consecutive UEFA Champions League finals, winning the latter to claim his first and Liverpool's sixth victory in the competition. He is a big proponent of Gegenpressing, which is when a side instantly tries to reclaim possession after losing it, rather than retreating to regroup. Pundits and fellow managers have referred to his teams as playing "heavy metal" football due to their intense pressing and attacking output. Klopp cites Italian coach Arrigo Sacchi and former Mainz coach Wolfgang Frank as his key influences.
Klopp took over the team in 2015, five years ago. He accomplished something that no other Liverpool manager has ever accomplished. He'd had such an impact that the club's overall perception had shifted. Klopp arrived at Anfield on the 8th of October 2015 with a dream, and now, five years later, he has completely overhauled the team's structure. Here we take a look at the best moments of his Liverpool career.
“If we sit here in four years, I think we [will] win one title,” Jurgen Klopp said after becoming Liverpool manager in October 2015.
1. Liverpool lifting the Champions League after beating Tottenham in 2019
Liverpool had a fantastic season in the 2018–19 UEFA Champions League, despite their lack of success in domestic cup tournaments. Klopp's team qualified for the knockout phase by finishing second in their group based on goals scored, before facing German champions Bayern Munich in the round of 16. Klopp’s Liverpool defeated Bayern Munich, Porto and Barcelona to progress to a second successive Champions League final. He helped Liverpool lift their sixth Champions League and his first title with the club.
2. Liverpool’s first Premier League title
After Manchester City’s loss against Chelsea, the Reds were crowned the new Champions of England. Klopp's side won the 2019–20 Premier League title with seven games to spare on June 25, 2020; it was the club's twentieth league triumph, first since 1989–90, and first in the Premier League era. Klopp was named LMA Manager of the Year and Premier League Manager of the Season at the end of the season. Klopp was awarded Best FIFA Men's Coach for the second year in a row at the FIFA Best Football Awards on December 17, 2020, after leading Liverpool to their first league title in 30 years. Klopp was named BBC Sports Coach of the Year on December 20.
Also Read | Liverpool Premier League 2019-20 winning team
3. Liverpool’s comeback against Barcelona
Nobody expected any miracles in the return leg at Anfield after losing the first leg 3-0 to the Catalan giants in last season's semi-final tie. But how far were they off the mark? In the second leg of the tie at Anfield, Klopp reportedly told his players to "simply try" or "fail in the most beautiful way." Liverpool scored four incredible goals to reach the final in what has to be one of Anfield's greatest evenings. Klopp’s iconic celebration on the touchline will be remembered for decades at the very least, and the win fueled the team's rising confidence as they went on to lift the Champions League that season.
4. Liverpool’s dramatics 2nd half comeback against Klopp’s former club Dortmund
Liverpool produced one of the most remarkable comebacks in Anfield history to defeat Borussia Dortmund and advance to the Europa League semi-finals. They went on to lose the final, however. Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice in the first nine minutes for Dortmund. Klopp gradually gained control of the game, creating and squandering numerous opportunities. Even when Divock Origi offered them hope early in the second half, Marco Reus' calm 57th-minute finish looked to extinguish it. Philippe Coutinho's low shot cut the deficit and Mamadou Sakho headed in the equaliser after 77 minutes. In the midst of the mayhem, Lovren rose to head home in stoppage time in front of the Kop, sparking wild celebrations and securing a win that will go down in Anfield mythology.
"I reminded the players about Liverpool being 3-0 down in the Champions League final," said Klopp. "It was brilliant, outstanding, and emotional."
5. Champions League qualification on deadline day in 2016/17
Liverpool didn’t feature in the Champions League since 2014/15 and they were on the brink of losing out on the UCL spots again in the 2016/17 season. Klopp's Reds came into the deadline game against the Boros on a losing streak, having dropped points in two of their previous four games. As a result, Manchester City has jumped ahead of them into third place. And Arsenal, who were on a four-match winning streak, posed a genuine threat of knocking them out of the top four. Klopp's team ended fourth after defeating Middlesbrough 3-0. Liverpool qualified for the Champions League for only the second time in eight seasons.
“I’m really looking forward to next season. I think we have created a wonderful base,” said Klopp later on.
The following season, Liverpool made it to the final but lost 3-1 against defending champions Real Madrid.
