One chapter is already behind German football: after the humiliation and penalty-shootout exit from the World Cup at the hands of Paraguay, Julian Nagelsmann was dismissed. Attention now shifts forward to the appointment of Jurgen Klopp, who is expected to rescue the national team or at least guide it to the quarter-finals after twelve years without that achievement. Both developments, however, highlight the deeper structural problems inside the German Football Association.

Do not tell the self-assured and arrogant Nagelsmann that he failed. He refused to accept responsibility for the elimination because he is not a coach who owns his results. Everyone else was at fault. In his view, reaching the knockout phase after two straight group-stage exits already counted as progress. His contract had been due to run until 2028, with the sole requirement being qualification from the group.

Until 2023 the German association had never sacked a coach. That changed with Hansi Flick, whose record before and after his national-team stint confirmed his quality. Nagelsmann became the second, although the official statement spoke of a mutual parting rather than dismissal. His shortcomings were evident long before the end. Germany is in the middle of a generational and stylistic transition, and Nagelsmann was supposed to simplify the path for his players and give them calm. Instead he complicated matters with his tactical overthinking, created tension through selections and public criticism, and left communication gaps.

It was striking that during the European Championship two years earlier Nagelsmann had adapted, brought calm and simplified the game. At this World Cup he reverted to type, conducting an orchestra of tragedy.

The association had wanted Klopp before it hired Nagelsmann, but he was unavailable. During the tournament Klopp, working as a pundit, sharply criticised both team and coach and effectively acted as a shadow manager. The departure statement named him explicitly as the successor. The appointment will be expensive: the association must pay Nagelsmann seven million euros in compensation. Klopp currently earns ten million euros a season in his Red Bull role and will accept nothing less. He has elevated clubs in both England and Germany; players will follow his leadership and proven winning mentality.

Yet just as the association once overlooked the wider issues surrounding Nagelsmann, pinning everything on Klopp alone will not solve German football's problems. Klopp is an outstanding coach, but Germany needs deeper change: improved infrastructure, renewed production of world-class talent and greater integration of players with migrant backgrounds. A single appointment cannot deliver such reform. The association must bring in genuine football people rather than politicians such as Rudi Voller.

What is certain is that Klopp will at least avoid communication problems. He remains empathetic, maintains excellent relations with players, media and fans, and knows exactly what to say and when. He arrives in a situation reminiscent of his early days at Dortmund and Liverpool, asked to restore a major club to its rightful place. Still, he has not coached on the pitch for two years, and questions remain about whether his club-honed methods will translate directly to the different demands of international management.

Klopp confirmed on German television on Friday that he is interested in the post, yet he also acknowledged that his appointment is not the only step required. "It does not matter whether it is me or someone else, and it is not about Julian Nagelsmann," he said. "German football is at a critical juncture and needs fundamental change."

Voices from inside the German camp after the elimination made clear that the team must undergo a thorough reset. The lack of professionalism was startling. Players argued over which family members were allowed on flights, complained about the move from cosmopolitan Chicago to Winston-Salem and devoted interview time to discussing tourist attractions. Others admitted they had resorted to playing hide-and-seek out of sheer boredom. It sounded more like a schoolboy parody than the German national team.

Klopp will also have to rebuild continuity. Joachim Low spent fifteen years in charge; Klopp or any successor would be the third coach in five years. Players must adapt repeatedly to new personalities, leadership styles and tactical approaches. On the positive side, Hansi Flick, the key figure behind offering Klopp the job, worked with him during Borussia Dortmund's golden era. He can provide cover and listen to proposals for the reforms German football requires.

Klopp starts with high expectations but also greater public awareness that Germany has become just another team. Success is the only acceptable outcome, yet the same was said of Flick and Nagelsmann. Both were viewed as ideal candidates yet could not transfer their excellence from appointment to results. For now Klopp remains only an excellent candidate, and he will face a less patient and more critical public because of his Red Bull role and extensive advertising work.

Many German fans have recalled the events of 1984, when the team exited at the group stage of the European Championship in France. Coach Jupp Derwall was replaced by Franz Beckenbauer, who led the side to two successive World Cup finals, including victory in 1990.

Beckenbauer, perhaps Germany's greatest player, inspired through charisma that transcended his tactical acumen. Klopp will need to supply similar inspiration and charisma to restore German football to its historic level rather than leave it as just another team. Matching Beckenbauer's achievements would be sensational, but right now the German public would settle for a quarter-final place.