Netherlands vs Germany LIVE: Nations League team news from Jurgen Klopp’s first game back

But Klopp’s personality is of better use in a more serious sector of the German football landscape.

As the team dabs its wounds after a dismal last-32 World Cup exit to Paraguay, the wait to win a knockout-stage match since their 2014 triumph goes on. Julian Nagelsmann failed to galvanise the country’s national team, like Hansi Flick did before him – two tactical aficionados and objectively fine managers, but that’s where it ends. They lacked a certain… aura.

It was a World Cup to forget for both countries involved tonight.

A pair of last-32 exits, the Netherlands were dumped out on penalties to “dark horses” Morocco after Cody Gakpo’s opener was cancelled out in stoppage time by Issa Diop. Pure heartbreak, but being knocked out by the sixth best team on the planet isn’t too shameful.

Germany, however, experienced much shame. Their penalties defeat to Paraguay was one of the shocks of the tournament, and plunged the country’s football team into another crisis after 12 years of misery since their 2014 triumph. Hence why Mr Klopp has been called upon.

Don’t, don’t, don’t, don’t!

Jurgen Klopp’s return has gazumped what is otherwise a very significant arrival in the dugout for the Netherlands tonight.

Spain and Barcelona legend Xavi manages his first game for the Oranje, having not managed since his Blaugrana exit in 2024.

Not only is it a first venture into international football for the iconic maestro, but Xavi is also the first non-Dutch manager to take charge of the Netherlands since 1978.

He wasn’t necessarily first choice to succeed Ronald Koeman, with the Netherlands making an approach for former Liverpool manager Arne Slot, only to be turned down. That would have made for quite the managerial face-off in Amsterdam…

After a couple years raking it in at Red Bull and a summer as a World Cup pundit, Jurgen Klopp is back on our screens doing what he does best: managing football teams.

We weren’t sure if he’d ever come back after his glittering nine-year spell at Liverpool, which saw him guide the club to their first Premier League title in 30 years among a litany of trophies, though departed after admitting he was “running out of energy”.

But with his country’s national team in disarray, Klopp is here to steer the ship. He’s got a serious task ahead of him after Germany’s World Cup humiliation at the hands Paraguay, but rebuilds are Klopp’s forte.

And what a way to start things off – against storied rivals in the Netherlands, who themselves have a new man at the wheel…

And here’s what Jurgen Klopp’s first Germany line-up looks like…

Largely as expected for the former Liverpool boss, though one of the big decisions sees Karim Adeyemi start ahead of Serge Gnabry on the wing. Kai Havertz leads the line.

Germany XI: Ter Stegen; Treu, Tah, Schlotterbeck, Brown; Kimmich, Nmecha; Schade, Musiala, Adeyemi; Havertz.

Subs: Dahmen, Nubel, Bisseck, Rosenfelder, Vagnoman, Behrens, Engelhardt, Amiri, Stach, Fuhrich, Gnabry, Ebnoutalib.

Xavi names his first Netherlands XI as manager.

No Frenkie De Jong means Crystal Palace new boy Quinten Timber comes in to start, joining a three-man midfield with Ryan Gravenberch and Tijjani Reijnders.

The front three of Crysencio Summerville, Brian Brobbey and Cody Gakpo that was preferred by Ronald Koeman is unchanged.

Netherlands XI: Verbruggen; Dumfries, Van Hecke, Van Dijk, Van de Ven; Timber, Gravenberch, Reijnders; Summerville, Gakpo; Brobbey.

Subs: Flekken, Roefs, Ake, Van Bommel, Frimpong, Geertruida, Hato, Koopmeiners, Lang, Meerdink, Til, Veerman.

We’re expecting team news to come out in the next few minutes or so – here’s what we know so far.

Donyell Malen and Justin Kluivert have withdrawn from the Netherlands squad due to injury, with Frenkie de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt among those already absent. Memphis Depay, the nation’s leading goalscorer, was a high-profile omission from Xavi’s first group, but captain Virgil van Dijk is back for more after talks over his future with the new manager.

Jurgen Klopp has taken the novel approach of splitting his squad for his opening games in charge, with a 44-player group cut to 24 for this game. Florian Wirtz and Nick Woltemade are among those not involved here, while Philipp Treu could make his debut having impressed at right-back for Freiburg.

The international break properly gets underway tonight, so here’s what’s happening across the Nations League:

• Portugal vs Wales
• Norway vs Denmark
• Kosovo vs Republic of Ireland
• Austria vs Israel
• Serbia vs Greece
• Liechtenstein vs Lithuania
• Andorra vs Malta

We’ll also be bringing you live coverage of Portugal vs Wales, if that’s more to your taste.

The Nations League Group A2 clash is due to kick off at 7.45pm BST tonight at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam.

Viewers in the UK can watch the match on Prime Video, costing £2.49 on pay-per-view.

Klopp has not managed since leaving Liverpool after a glittering nine-year spell in 2024 but returns to the coaching scene to try and put Germany back on their perch off the back of their disastrous last-32 World Cup exit to Paraguay in the summer.

The 59-year-old named a 44-man squad for his first international break as he tried to get to grips with what he has to work with.

The Netherlands, meanwhile, are similarly entering a new era under a new boss, with Barcelona legend Xavi taking the reins from Ronald Koeman, who stepped down after the World Cup.