Promises are seldom kept in the soccer world today. Today it’s a world of expenses, lies, shortcomings, and defeats, but one man’s promise to return a club to the top stood against the deceitful modern era. Manager, Jurgen Klopp from Stuttgart, Germany, saw his promise to fans of Liverpool until the end. 

Klopp left Germany at the end of the 2014-2015 season after seven years in Dortmund, Germany, He led Borussia Dortmund to a Champions League Final, a league title that dethroned German giants Bayern Munich, and a domestic double (two league trophies in one year). Klopp arrived in Merseyside with galvanizing ideas. Before Klopp joined the staff, Liverpool was under the leadership of Brendan Rodgers who had led them into eighth place in the Premier League.

A gloomy and disappointing Liverpool year was injected with a German erudition. Rogers’ firing was announced and Klopp arrived for questions from the media in his first interview as Liverpool manager. During his famous first interview, Klopp said, “This could be a very special day if we want it to, I believe in the potential of this team, I know that when we sit here in four years, I think we’ll win one title in this time” (NBC Sports).  

Klopp’s first years as manager were as turbulent as they come. Klopp led Liverpool to the Europa League final but agonizingly lost in the final 3-1 to Seville. In his next season, a title race charge was derailed at the end of the season thanks to Steven Gerrard’s famous slip against Chelsea, and Liverpool’s dismal performances against Crystal Palace and Southampton. The highlight of the 2016-2017 season was Klopp’s successful qualification for the Champions League the following year. In 2016 and 2017, vital players to Liverpool’s successes in the future were signed, and Mohamed Salah from Roma and Sadio Mane from Southampton would go on to be imperative for Liverpool’s next dominant years. 

Over the next seven years, Klopp led Liverpool to unprecedented heights. Klopp won nearly everything for Liverpool, winning Liverpool their sixth Champions League trophy in 2019, and ending a 30-year Premier League title drought in 2020. In between the headline wins, Klopp won the English Football League Cup, the Football Association Cup, the Community Shield, the Super Cup, and the Club World Cup. Klopp’s promise was kept, and Liverpool fans couldn’t be happier, but fans all over the world of Liverpool were interrupted with a bittersweet tone on Jan. 26, 2024, when Klopp announced he would be departing Liverpool after the season concludes.

It was news no Liverpool fan looked forward to. Lifelong Liverpool fan and Eaton High School Junior, Alex Shaw, said, “Klopp has been there my whole life and he is Liverpool through and through, Liverpool won’t be the same without him.”

Klopp’s contract as manager doesn’t run out until next year in 2025, and the announcement was a premature ending to a fairytale story. In an interview with Liverpool Football Club Television, Klopp revealed why he was deciding to leave. “I know that I cannot do the job again and again and again. After the years … we spent together and after all the things we went through together … the least I owe you is the truth — and that is the truth”(LFC TV). Klopp returned Liverpool to its former glory and left a legacy that will forever be entwined within the club. Most importantly he kept the promise that he made in 2015, not only had he won a title for Liverpool four years after he was hired, he achieved many heights, returning Liverpool to the top of the soccer world again. 

Liverpool and Klopp’s story isn’t over yet, though, the club will continue on without Klopp and Klopp will continue on without Liverpool. For Liverpool, it will be nearly impossible to keep the rumor mill from turning about who will replace Klopp next season. Even for Klopp, his future will certainly come to light soon. Klopp said, “It is that I am, how can I say it, running out of energy, I will not sign for any other club in general or any national team for the next year, I can promise that”(Independent TV).

Klopp’s successor has already been rumored to possibly be former Liverpool player and Bayer Leverkusen manager, Xabi Alonso, who’s led Leverkusen to the top of the Bundesliga with an undefeated record. Klopp’s promise was kept, and it is a promise that will go down in soccer history.