Jürgen Klopp, who has overseen Liverpool’s revitalization, is leaving the club due to burnout.
The Reds announced on their official website on Monday (June 26) that Klopp will step down at the end of the 2023-2024 season.
“After leading the team to the Carabao Cup final on Friday, Jurgen Klopp has announced that he will step down at the end of the 2023-2024 season, ending his eight-and-a-half years at Liverpool. Coaches Pepin Reinders, Peter Kravitz and elite development Vitor Matos will follow Klopp out the door. Reinders will now pursue his own coaching career.”
Klopp is under contract until the summer of 2026. He has been at the helm of Liverpool since 2022, but he has announced that he is leaving the club two years before his contract expires.
The reason is simple. Burnout.
“I understand that many people will be shocked when they first hear this,” Klopp said. But I can explain it clearly,” he said, adding: “I love Liverpool, the city, the supporters, everything. I love the team, I love the staff, but I have no choice but to leave because my energy is depleted,” he explained.
He added: “Obviously, it’s not a problem now. But I’ve known for a long time that at some point I would have to make an announcement. For now, of course, it’s fine. I know I can’t carry on,” he said, adding, “After we’ve been together and gone through everything together, there’s respect, there’s love, there’s trust. It’s so big.”
Klopp began his coaching career in 2001 after finishing his playing career with Mainz, taking over as the club’s head coach. Until the summer of 2008, he coached Mainz through the club’s ups and downs, including promotion to the Bundesliga in 2003-2004 and relegation to Bundesliga 2 in 2006-2007.
In 2008, he was named head coach of German giants Borussia Dortmund, where he made his mark on the German scene by breaking through the Bayern Munich defense to win back-to-back Bundesliga titles in the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 seasons.
He also reached the 2012-2013 UEFA Champions League final with Dortmund. They finished as runners-up, but it was certainly an accomplishment.
After leaving Dortmund in the 2014-2015 season, Klopp took a short break before joining Liverpool in 2015. He succeeded Brendan Rodgers as manager of the Reds and built a new team.
With Liverpool, Klopp won his sixth UCL title in 2019, beating Tottenham in the final. He also led the Reds to their first Premier League title, a feat that had been a jinx for the club. In the 2021-2022 season, he completed a mini-double by lifting the FA Cup and Carabao Cup at the same time.
Klopp’s Premier League record at Liverpool now stands at 199 wins, 74 draws, and 44 defeats in 317 games, with 671 points.
Klopp had already informed Liverpool of his departure last November. “I have to explain this to people who look at my job from the outside. I stand on the touchline, I work in training sessions and so on. Most things happen in this environment. It means that the season starts and you already have to plan a lot for the next season.”
Klopp said he will save any farewells until the final game at Liverpool in June.
“There will be a moment when we play our last game, whether it’s in Liverpool or somewhere else,” Klopp said. It could be in another country or another competition. We have enough time for that. Let’s keep moving forward. The outside world will take advantage of this decision, laugh and try to disturb us. We are Liverpool and we have been through tough times together. And we’ve been through tougher times before me. Let’s be strong. It’s going to be great. Let’s squeeze everything out of this season and give ourselves something to look back on in the future and smile about (winning),” he urged the fans.