Jurgen Klopp said before Germany’s Curacao game that he would start Deniz Undav ahead of Jamal Musiala. The comment put Musiala’s form back under a harsh light after a serious left ankle injury and a season in which he has not looked himself.
Klopp followed that up with one line that captured the edge of the debate: “Fortunately, Julian Nagelsmann is still picking the team — for now.” The wording was enough to keep the focus on Musiala, because it suggested the final call still sat with Nagelsmann even after Klopp had publicly picked a different forward.
Klopp and Musiala
The lineup choice was not made in a vacuum. Musiala has had a difficult time since recovering from the ankle injury, and the source says his performances this season have not matched his usual level. That is why Klopp’s preference for Undav landed as more than a casual opinion: it went straight at whether Musiala should be starting for Germany at the World Cup.
Klopp was already a visible part of Germany’s World Cup coverage. During the World Cup, he worked for Magenta TV with Thomas Muller, and the event was not yet a week old when his comments sparked the latest argument around Germany’s attack. The setup made the debate louder because it came from someone with a prominent perch, not from a passing post-match reaction.
Matthaus and Moller
Lothar Matthaus said Klopp should know better after the lineup comment. Andreas Moller went further on Doppelpass, calling the remarks “completely unacceptable” and adding, “It’s rather disrespectful. It’s definitely not on! Jurgen Klopp wouldn’t be amused if he was national coach either,”
Klopp repeated “for now” the next day while reflecting on the stir he caused, and that left the discussion hanging over Julian Nagelsmann rather than ending it. The pressure now sits on Germany’s head coach to keep control of the selection call while the public debate keeps circling Musiala, Undav, and the standard Germany are trying to set after two years that were not convincing in the Nations League or during World Cup qualifying.
Nagelsmann’s call
For Musiala, the immediate question is simple: whether Nagelsmann follows Klopp’s preference or sticks with the player he has been backing through the injury recovery. The answer will show whether Germany treat Klopp’s comments as outside noise or as a real challenge to the current pecking order.
