Klopp accomplished his mission: he turned non-believers into believers

Jurgen Klopp (56 years old) played his last game as a coach at the head of Liverpool where it is a historic, exciting and unforgettable night for the network and football fans in general. After 9 years in charge, the German bid a definitive farewell to Anfield, ending the final week which he admitted was “the most intense of my career”. Emotions run high on the banks of the Mersey River because despite the titles, Jürgen Klopp has built a legacy and a foundation so that the red club can continue to be competitive and at the top of the elite. And in his first press conference, Jürgen Klopp wanted to show his true purpose to a social mass that sank: “My goal is to make believers out of unbelievers.”

Klopp arrived at Anfield on October 8, 2015, replacing Brendan Rodgers and a Liverpool that was tenth in the Premier League, but most importantly, a Liverpool that had lost hope. The Reds were on the verge of winning the last league but they were far from being a competitive team, soulless. From the first day Klopp warned that “he is in a special club” and called himself “The Normal”, thus parodying “The Special One” by José Mourinho. It didn’t take long for the Reds to leapfrog in quality. In the first season they reached the final of the Europa League, qualifying with an epic comeback against Borussia Dortmund. The seed of Klop & Roll is growing.

In the following years Liverpool will reach 3 Champions League finalsdeclared themselves champions for the first time since 2005 (0-2 against Tottenham), champions of Carabao Cup on two occasions after ten years without doing so, champion of FA Cup for the first time since 2006, European Super Cup for the first time since 2005, first Club World Cup and above all, the Premier League achieved in 2020. The Reds became champions for the first time in 30 years, thus reaching league number 19 in their history.

Klopp is also the only one who truly and regularly competes with Manchester City’s reign. Since the two met in the Premier League in 2016, Pep Guardiola has achieved 5 league titles, a historic streak only surpassed by Klopp’s Liverpool in 2020. In addition, there are two other championships that the Reds have missed out on by only one point of difference, 2018 -2019 (98 points / 97 points) and 2021-2022 (93 points and 92 points). And it was that Jürgen Klopp is Guardiola’s bête noirethe German has beaten Guardiola the most times, with a balance of 12 wins, 7 draws and 11 losses.

Special mention of how Klopp’s Liverpool have competed all these years. In the data offered by Sky Sports, since Jürgen’s arrival in the Premier League he has the least net cost is compared to the rest of the Big Six and has the second most wins.

Net spending vs titles since Klopp arrived

1. Manchester City: 15 major titles / 5 Premier League / €735 M
2. Liverpool: 7 major titles / 1 Premier League / €346 M
3. Chelsea: 6 major titles / 1 Premier League / €1 billion
4. Manchester United: 4 great titles €1,000 M
5. Arsenal: 2 great titles / €819 M
6. Tottenham Hotspur: €665 million

Beyond the titles, Klopp has always shown attachment and solidarity with the fans and the city of Liverpool. He was awarded the Freedom of the Citythe highest civic honor awarded by the city, being only the second foreigner to receive it afterwards Nelson Mandela.

Jürgen left a historical legacy, at the level of Bill Shankly or Bob Paisley, in the sporting aspect but also in the human aspect. It has become an institution in Liverpool. Shankly took charge of the club when it was in the second tier and did well, winning 3 leagues, among other titles. Paisley, for his part, won 3 European Cups and 6 leagues, among many others. The German was sitting at his desk. Klopp has managed to fulfill his mission, convert non-believers into believers.