Jürgen Klopp has begun his tenure as Germany manager by combining football reform with calls for a more positive national identity. His comments about “reclaiming” the German flag have resonated amid electoral gains by the anti-immigration AfD, but his main task remains reviving a struggling national team.

Klopp has monitored clubs and players extensively, initially identifying 57 potential selections. He has split his squad into two largely different groups for four Nations League matches, giving opportunities to established players including Joshua Kimmich, Kai Havertz and Jamal Musiala, as well as less experienced figures such as Felix Keidel, who recently played in Germany’s second tier.