Jürgen Klopp must justify the XXL squad after debut in Augsburg
The 59‑year‑old Jürgen Klopp experiences a bumpy start with the German national team: the debut in Augsburg ended with whistles, a 1‑1 record against the Netherlands and a 0‑1 loss to Greece – all within the controversial DFB XXL squad. Two games, one point – the result reflects the new coach's uncertainty.
Debut in Augsburg and first defeat
On November 13, Jürgen Klopp entered the Augsburg arena for the first time as head coach. The match against the Netherlands ended in a 1‑1 draw, while the subsequent duel against Greece was lost 0‑1. Thus the national eleven collected only one point from two matches.
Fan reaction and Klopp's responsibility
After the 1‑1 in Augsburg, Klopp thanked the spectators, but a portion of the fans responded with loud whistles. The coach took responsibility and positioned himself protectively like a lioness in front of his players. The critical mood was clearly reflected in the stadium.
Radical squad overhaul and XXL casting
Klopp immediately opted for a radical experiment: for the first four internationals he nominated 44 players and split them into two distinct squads. The XXL casting was meant to quickly find new faces for the national team. In practice the concept has already shown weakness after two games.
Discoveries and absences
Through the “shaking‑sieve tactic” it was possible to discover Philipp Treu as a new right‑back. Many of the previously unknown players will, however, hardly ever wear a DFB team jersey. Joshua Kimmich is missing due to the squad change at his personal home game in Munich and expressed surprise at the decision before he left the team reluctantly.
DFB team XXL experiment burdens Klopp after a failed debut
The national team has earned only one point from the two Nations League games and is therefore in trouble. The missing captain and the constant rotation hinder consistency. The result makes clear that the experiment has not yet shown a positive effect on performance.
Criticism of Klopp's approach is growing, as the issue of “rapid renewal” seems to be failing after the two disappointing matches. The euphoria he sparked after the World Cup disaster has quickly turned into disillusionment. Without an immediate shift in mood, support for the new head coach threatens to wane.
Outlook on the XXL experiment
Klopp must present a functional team that can win games by the next two internationals. Only then can the XXL squad project still be considered a success. The upcoming fixtures in November will show whether the fresh ideas pay off.
Klopp's disappointing home debut in Augsburg gives the Germans hope
Until then, the German football nation remains eager to see whether the radical casting brings the hoped‑for turnaround. The result will decide whether the criticism falls silent or continues to grow louder.