The Klopp Era Begins in the Nations League

When Frank Rijkaard soiled Rudi Völler's curly hair during a peak moment of the German-Dutch football conflict in 1990, Jürgen Klopp was busy enjoying the crowning achievement of his career. At 23, he had just signed a contract with second-division newcomers FSV Mainz 05, having previously played for amateur club SG Rot-Weiß Frankfurt. The neighboring countries' issues didn't concern him. Klopp recounted in Amsterdam on Wednesday evening that he was unaware of the clashes between Germans and Dutch fans in the border towns of the Lower Rhine following the 1990 World Cup round of 16 match in Milan. He certainly wouldn't have considered joining the, forgive the pun, scuffles.

"I didn't feel the rivalry," he assured reporters at the press conference in the Johan Cruyff Arena. He admitted that "obviously not all players liked each other" back then, but for more details, he suggested speaking to Rudi Völler. However, on the eve of the new Nations League season, which for Germany primarily signifies the start of the era under their new national coach, the DFB sporting director had more pressing matters than attending a media briefing.

Those days are long gone, however, when a match between the Netherlands and Germany would necessitate heightened security. This won't change with Jürgen Klopp, from whom no petty grievances or resentments are expected. Instead, he revealed that during his time as BVB coach, he frequently went shopping in Roermond and spent weekends in Amsterdam – speaking German without hesitation.

Nico Schlotterbeck and Jonathan Tah Expected in Central Defense

On the other hand, it's undeniable that the Dutch national team will play a somewhat fateful role on Thursday evening in how Klopp's new mission begins. The coach, naturally, did not reveal specifics about his lineup or match plan. He even inquired sympathetically whether his secrecy might have detrimental effects. "Can you sleep if you don't know this today?" he asked a reporter who wanted to know if Josha Vagnoman was planned as the right-back in the back four. In reality, Freiburg's Philipp Treu is more likely to be considered, while the World Cup duo Nico Schlotterbeck and Jonathan Tah are expected to form the central defense. Other potential starters include Nathaniel Brown, Joshua Kimmich, Felix Nmecha, Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz, and wingers possibly named Karim Adeyemi and Kevin Schade.

Marc ter Stegen will make his comeback in goal, as is now known. He could also contribute to a harmonious atmosphere between home and visiting fans. He joined the prominent traditional club Ajax Amsterdam in the summer and, with eight appearances so far, has demonstrated his readiness for competitive sport and professional football after two years of complaints. Like ter Stegen, Ajax has also experienced difficult times recently. "The goal this year is to compete for the league again," the goalkeeper stated, "we've signed great players for that" – amusingly, primarily from the neighboring eastern country: alongside ter Stegen, Julian Brandt and Thilo Kehrer are also providing support at Ajax.