Digging Deeper Into Jürgen Klopp’s Final Game as Liverpool Manager

Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Dánke, Jürgen.

The game started slowly. Was perhaps a little flat. To be fair, of course, most of the focus was always going to be off the pitch, on the fans in the stands serenading Jürgen Klopp and the departing manager himself watching on from the area as his era came to a close.

After 28 minutes, though, a Nelson Semedo red card for Wolves served to open things up. Goals from Alexis Mac Allister on 34 minutes and Jarell Quansah on 40 soon followed. And with it, everyone at home and in Anfield could get back to focusing on what mattered most: saying goodbye to Jürgen Klopp...

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This Is Goodbye, Then

Jürgen Said to Me, You Know...

“I thought I would be in pieces but I’m not I’m so happy about you all, about the atmosphere and this game and being part of this family it’s so wonderful thank you so much,” Klopp said when he addressed Anfield following the match. “The atmosphere was so great—thanks for ignoring my request to not sing my song!

“I think this is not the end, it is just the start. Because today I saw a team playing full of energy and full of desire. Nobody tells you now to stop believing. This club is in a better moment since in a long time, we have this wonderful stadium, this wonderful training centre, and we have you [the fans], the superpower of world football.

“We decide if we believe or if we don’t believe; if we trust or don’t trust. And today I am one of you and I stay a believer 100%. Change is good, even if you never know exactly what to expect, but if you go into it with the right attitude. Go into the next season welcoming the new manager like you welcomed me, go all into it from the first day, and when it’s hard you keep believing and when it’s hard you push the team more.

“I’m one of you now and I love you to bits.”

Winners and Losers

The Home Support

As expected, the fans brought the noise for Jürgen Klopp’s final game in charge, and not just the Kop but every side of Anfield as they worked through the repertoire of the Klopp era’s greatest hits—the Firmino song, the Mané song, and all the rest along with, of course, frequent airings of Klopp’s song despite any requests earlier in the season that they hold off on it until the final whistle—to serenade the departing Liverpool manager.

The game itself wasn’t always scintillating, which one also might have expected given neither side was really playing for more than pride, but the home supporters did themselves proud and brought the emotion for an emotional goodbye.

Nike’s 2024-25 Home Kit

Next season’s home kit doesn’t half give off some McDonalds FC vibes, does it? All that was missing to finish off the overworked kid on minimum wage who doesn’t want to be there look was a matching hat and Happy Meal toy. But never mind that, let’s get back to Jürgen...

One Last Lap Around Anfield

It wasn’t just Klopp who was struggling with his emotions following the final whistle as the players and staff returned to the pitch to say goodbye to the fans. For those of us watching there was nothing to do but try to soak it in and remember. So. Soak it in. Remember.

What Happens Next

Season’s over. Klopp’s nine seasons in charge of Liverpool Football Club are over, even if it still maybe doesn’t feel entirely real. The Anfield Legend departs the club having won two League Cups, a Community Shield, UEFA Super Cup, Club World Cup, and FA Cup along with securing the Reds’ sixth European Cup and nineteenth league title.

Next up, Arne Slot (na-na na-na-na) arrives from Feyenoord. No pressure, Arne.