Jurgen Klopp used the news conference to announce his first Germany squad to address the country's recent regional election result, saying his team can help ensure "national pride is not entrusted to the wrong people."
The comments came after the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party won 43.8% of the vote in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, falling just short of an absolute majority in the regional parliament. The anti-immigration party also expects strong results in elections on Sunday in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. No far-right party has controlled a German state since World War Two, when the ruling Nazi party carried out the Holocaust.
Klopp, who took charge of the national team after Julian Nagelsmann's departure, was careful to stress he isn't a political "expert," but didn't hold back on his feelings about the vote. "We had an election where some people may have thought it was OK, while others were saying, 'my God, what is happening here?'" he said. "From my perspective as a sportsman, I can say that I would very much like to reclaim the flag for myself, for all of us."
He explained what that would look like in practice: "I want it so that when someone waves it, no one thinks: 'What is wrong with you?' Instead, I want people to understand: You are happy and realise how lucky you were to be born, grow up, or move to this wonderful country."
Klopp said he prefers the term "positive patriotism" over "national pride," which he worries can be misunderstood. "I do not want to entrust national pride to the wrong people," he said. "I can be proud to be German while also being open-minded and diverse, and kind and friendly."
He added that having enough doctors and caregivers mattered more than any of this, but argued football still has a role to play: the sport, he said, can "foster a sense of community, so that people can truly feel the power of sport."
Who Klopp Picked for His First Squad
On the football side, Klopp named 16 uncapped players in a 44-man squad for four Nations League matches spread over two weeks.
A group of 24 players will be available for the away trip to face the Netherlands in Amsterdam on 24 September and the home game against Greece in Augsburg three days later. Most of that group will then return to their clubs, with the other 20 players joining up before Germany face Serbia in Munich on 1 October and Greece again in Thessaloniki on 4 October.
The first group features a trio of Premier League players: Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Kevin Schade (Brentford) and Anton Stach (Leeds). Jamal Musiala is also included despite twice collapsing during pre-season games for Bayern Munich.
Brentford full-back Vitaly Janelt earns his first call-up as part of the second group, which also includes Florian Wirtz (Liverpool) and Malick Thiaw (Newcastle).
Klopp's appointment followed the retirements of goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and defender Antonio Rudiger from international duty after Germany's second-round exit against Paraguay at this summer's World Cup, a result that also led to Nagelsmann's departure. Klopp had been working as global head of soccer for Red Bull before taking the job.
