LifeBogger presents the Full Story of a Football Manager who is best known by the Nickname; The Normal One.

Our version of Jurgen Klopp’s Biography Facts, including his Childhood Story, brings to you a full account of notable events from his boyhood days right until he became famous.

The analysis of Klopp’s Bio involves his life story before fame, family life and many OFF and ON-Pitch little-known facts about him.

No doubt, we know Jurgen Klopp for his charisma and star quality. When he walks into a room, people take notice.

Even though there is a slight madness about him, everyone just loves the way he loves life. So without further ado, let’s begin his Biography.

Jurgen Klopp Childhood Story – Early Life and Family Background:

For Biography starters, Jurgen Norbert Klopp was born in Stuttgart, Germany, on the 16th day of June 1967 to his father, Mr Norbert Klopp, who was a decent amateur footballer and mother, Elisabeth Klopp, who was a salesperson.

Klopp spent most of his entire childhood in the German Black Forest village of Glatten, where he and his two older sisters (Isolde Reich and Stefanie Klopp) was brought up by his parents.

Klopp got along with everyone as a kid. His early childhood life was centred around one word, ‘Loyalty’. He never loves to dream big.

He always settles for less as a boy. That was indeed, his strength. Devotion and self-sacrifice to his country.

Jurgen Klopp Growing Up Days:

 

As a boy, Klopp said what he thought and meant what he said. His one and only boyhood dream were to become a footballer and a great football manager.

His football dream started when he joined his local German community team Ergenzingen at the age of 16. He was loyal to the game from the onset. Loyalty to him means fulfilling this big dream in his beloved country, Germany.

Jurgen Klopp, when he was much younger, learned never to take himself too seriously and is happy to be the pun of everyone’s joke. He believes things can not always go his way, but he picks himself up and tries again.

He seems comfortable when he throws him in any scene. As a good guy, he always keeps his home on his shoulders.  He thinks before he acts and doesn’t let his emotions get the best of him.

Jurgen Klopp’s boyhood dream finally came true, as seen in his ability to become both a footballer and a great football manager in Germany.

Klopp spent most of his 15-year playing career at Mainz 05. He started as a striker for the club before converting to a right-back defender in 1995. He scored a total of 52 league goals for Mainz.

Upon his retirement from playing for Mainz 05, Klopp was appointed as the club’s manager on 27 February 2001 following the sacking of Eckhard Krautzun.  During that time, he got inspired by German Football professor – Ralf Rangnick.

He remained as manager for seven years, during which time he led the team to its first appearance in the Bundesliga and qualification for the 2005–06 UEFA Cup.

In 2008, Klopp joined Borussia Dortmund, leading them to back-to-back Bundesliga wins in 2011 and 2012, as well as the DFB-Pokal in 2012, the DFL-Supercup in 2013 and 2014, and their second appearance in a UEFA Champions League final in 2013.

Klopp won the German Football Manager of the Year in 2011 and 2012 before leaving Dortmund in 2015, having also become their longest-serving manager.

He became the manager of Liverpool in October 2015. He is only the second German ever to manage in the Premier League. The first was Felix Magath, who took charge of Fulham in 2014.

Jurgen Klopp Parents:

To start with, Jurgen Klopp’s mum Elisabeth Klopp once said:

“My son gets along with everyone. He played soccer on the fields outside in summer and in winter, set up a goal in the living room.”.

This is how she describes her son’s success to everyone. Klopp and his Mum are very fond of each other. 

According to Klopp, ”Both of my parents were of two different planets. His Mother understands everything, while his father does not (so much as he wanted).

But of course, he tried to give advice, and he tried to build a fire in me to get better and not to be satisfied too early and things like this”.

Talking about his ex-footballer and salesman dad, who also taught him to ski and play tennis, Klopp said:

“My luck was that I always wanted what he wanted.” I remember him always telling me, “iron sharpens iron as man sharpens man.”

Klopp was heartbroken when Norbert died in 2000, aged 68, following a two-year battle with cancer, especially because his dad never saw him become head coach at Dortmund in 2008.

After the death, Klopp addressed 20,000 fans with tears streaming down his face and said: “Everything I am, everything I can be, you let me, dad. I still think you’re looking down on me from above.”

About Sabine Klopp – Jurgen Klopp’s ex-Wife:

Klopp is a divorcee. He was married to Sabine Klopp, with whom he has a son Marc, who played for Dortmund, but a major injury blow forced him to retire from the game. Klopp and his former spouse decided to get separated in early 2001.

They had a son Marc, 26, who recently retired from football due to an injury. The couple split soon after Klopp became club manager in 2001.

He met stunning Ulla while he was in charge at Mainz 05, and she was a waitress in a local bar.

Klopp says he liked the fact that the trained teacher, who has a son Dennis, 27, from her first marriage, “was no football fan and did not know me. I found that charming”.

The couple married in 2005 and now live in Herdecke, a quiet village outside of Dortmund.

But they love the showbiz lifestyle and posing for magazines at their thatched holiday cottage on the North Sea island of Sylt.

Jurgen and Ulla met at a bar in Mainz where Bundesliga side Mainz 05, of whom Klopp was manager, regularly celebrated.

Ulla was a waitress, and neither held an interest in soccer nor knew who Klopp was, but nevertheless thought he was charming. The couple married in December 2005.

 Both Ulla and Jurgen were previously married, and each brings a son into the relationship. Jurgen’s son, Marc, played for Borussia Dortmund until he retired in 2012 at the age of just 23

Jurgen Klopp Religion:

The legendary manager is a Christian. His religious views denote that we have only this one life, and we should try to make the best of it the Christian way.

According to Klopp, ‘That’s what I try to do. I do my best by enjoying each day as if it’s the last. I enjoy celebrating, drinking or whatever because tomorrow could be the end.

Lifestyle:

Rather than buying luxurious cars, Jurgen Klopp enjoys taking the train to his home after his football matches. After dropping off the train, Klopp loves taking long walks home.

He has admitted that he often strolls home after matches to think about what he could have done better.

Jurgen Klopp Education:

During his playing career, Klopp earned a diploma in sports science from Goethe University in Frankfurt. Somewhat surprisingly, his thesis focused on race walking rather than football.

Hair Transplant:

Klopp had a hair transplant, similar to Wayne Rooney, in 2012 and is very proud of how it turned out.

Talking to journalists in an interview at the time he said: “Yes, it’s true. I underwent a hair transplant. I think the results are really cool, don’t you?”

Celebration Style:

The 6 foot 4 rugged Manager is known to have a very passionate celebration.

Whether it’s doing a funny dance, sliding across the grass on his knees or kissing his own players, Liverpool fans could have as much fun watching the dugout as the games. Klopp even tore a muscle once during one famous celebration.

Jurgen Klopp Biography Facts – Enjoys doing things differently:

When Borussia Dortmund was preparing for their Champions League match against Arsenal in 2014, Klopp turned down the chance to train at the Emirates stadium and took his team to London’s Regent park instead.

Appreciation Note:

As we always do, LifeBogger says, “Thank you”… for taking your time to read Jurgen Klopp’s Biography. We care about accuracy and fairness in our continuous quest to deliver you the Life stories of Football Managers.

Please reach out to LifeBogger (via comment) if you notice anything that doesn’t look right in Jurgen Klopp’s Bio.

Don’t forget to stay tuned for more related Football Stories from LifeBogger. The Biography of Massimiliano Allegri, Dean Smith and Ryan Mason would interest you.