Photo: George Zografidis / Pexels
Jurgen Klopp plans to call up new players for Germany national team from Bundesliga 3
The former Liverpool manager is casting a remarkably wide net for his first Germany squad, scouting talent all the way down to the third division.
Jurgen Klopp has never been one to do things the conventional way. So it tracks that his first squad selection as Germany’s head coach will reportedly include players plucked from Bundesliga 3, the country’s third tier of professional football.
The move signals just how aggressively Klopp intends to reshape a national team that limped out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the round of 32.
A 57-player shortlist and counting
At his introductory press conference after being appointed in July 2026, Klopp revealed he had already reviewed 57 outfield players as potential candidates for the national team.
His first official squad announcement is set for September 17, 2026, and it won’t look like a typical 23-man roster. Reports indicate Klopp plans to name up to 30 or more players, blowing past the standard limit to give himself a wider evaluation window.
The reasoning is practical. Germany faces four Nations League matches in quick succession against the Netherlands, Greece (twice), and Serbia. An expanded roster lets Klopp manage workloads across that compressed schedule while simultaneously auditioning new faces.
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Why the third division matters
Calling up players from Bundesliga 3 might sound like a stunt, but Germany has a deep football pyramid with genuine talent scattered across its lower leagues. Klopp built his career on identifying undervalued talent. At Borussia Dortmund, he turned a mid-budget squad into Champions League finalists. At Liverpool, he transformed a club that hadn’t won a league title in three decades into Premier League and Champions League winners.
Rebuilding after a World Cup disaster
Germany’s round-of-32 exit at the 2026 World Cup was the kind of result that forces structural change. The German Football Association (DFB) responded by handing Klopp a four-year contract running through the 2030 World Cup.
Klopp has been explicit about his intentions. He wants to create a style of play that excites fans, a pointed contrast to the pragmatic but uninspiring football that characterized Germany’s recent tournament appearances.
What to watch on September 17
The squad announcement will be the first concrete evidence of Klopp’s direction. The Nations League matches against the Netherlands, Greece, and Serbia offer a useful testing ground, with none carrying the pressure of a World Cup qualifier — exactly the kind of environment where an oversized roster and unfamiliar combinations can be evaluated.