'A real leader' - Michael Ballack tells Liverpool boss which managerial job he will be a success at

German football legend Michael Ballack believes his country needs a 'leader' like Jurgen Klopp to return to international success.

Klopp is due to step down at Liverpool at the end of the season and, as it stands, he could say farewell after triumphing in multiple competitions. His eight years on Merseyside has seen him become an icon within the city which has murals, songs and even a bar dedicated to the German manager.

Despite the fact he will be taking a break from football, there have been many who believe he could be the right man to reinvigorate the German national team which has struggled since winning the World Cup a decade ago - and former Chelsea and Bayern Munich midfielder Ballack gave his reasoning behind why Klopp would be a success at international level. “Of course, in a normal career, one day he would become manager of the German national team, everyone is looking for that,” said Ballack on the Football’s Greatest podcast.

“He did a great job, he built something really special with his club. He’s now in that position he can make his own decision, he can build his own career. He could train every club in the world, every club would be happy to have him. But he’s a guy who loves consistency and he has values. He has this calmness to not make quick decisions, he can take 10 times longer to pick his move especially from such a good environment that he has built himself. We would love it one day because he has this quality, he has this character to symbolise all German attitudes. We need a leader like him. Whenever he’s ready I think the people and the fans would love it.”

Previously, in 2023, Klopp outlined that he would be honoured to take on such a role; "The job of national coach is and would be a great honour - there's no question about that. The problem that stands in the way of the whole thing is my loyalty [to Liverpool]." With his future now wide open with possibilities, a role at international level, which would see him have a far reduced workload, could be a great option for the future.