Jürgen Klopp, Germany's new football manager, has called for the national team to help reclaim German national pride amid concerns about far-right political movements. Making comments at his first squad announcement in Frankfurt, Klopp indirectly referenced the recent electoral success of the anti-immigration AfD party, which secured nearly 44% of the vote in the Saxony-Anhalt state election on 6 September. The comments underscore how Germany's football team is being positioned as a symbol of inclusive patriotism following three consecutive early eliminations at recent tournaments.

Klopp, a long-time advocate for social causes during his managerial career, advocated for "positive patriotism" whilst emphasising that national pride need not be incompatible with being open, diverse and kind. He unveiled a 44-man squad for four upcoming Nations League matches—an unusually large group reflecting the packed schedule of games within two weeks against the Netherlands, Greece and Serbia. The squad includes many new faces with limited international experience, though key players such as goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen and returning forward Karim Adeyemi feature, whilst notable omissions include striker Deniz Undav and winger Leroy Sané.