Jurgen Klopp described his return to Borussia Dortmund for the testimonial as a “lifelong dream come true”.
Klopp, who managed Dortmund from 2008 to 2015, achieved notable success with the club, including two Bundesliga titles and the DFB-Pokal. His seven years at Dortmund laid the foundation for his later accomplishments at Liverpool, where he enjoyed even greater success over a nine-year period before stepping down as Liverpool’s head coach at the end of last season.
On Saturday, Klopp made his first return to the dugout since leaving Liverpool, taking charge of a team of Dortmund legends in the testimonial match honoring his former players, Lukasz Piszczek and Jakub Blaszczykowski.
Earlier in the week, he conducted a training session with some of his ex-players in preparation for the event. The reception from the Signal Iduna Park crowd was overwhelmingly positive, underscoring the lasting bond between Klopp and the club.
In his post-match comments, Klopp conveyed his gratitude for the opportunity to return to Dortmund, saying, “It’s a lifelong dream come true. I wanted to have that again. Just a few months ago, I was given an emotional farewell in Liverpool. Today it was very emotional again.”
He further elaborated, “Some people might say that today he’s like this and tomorrow he’ll be like that. I explain it like this: when you have three children, you love them all. And that’s the same with my three clubs. I love them all.”
Since his departure from Anfield, there has been ongoing speculation about Klopp’s future in football. Earlier this summer, he suggested that a return to top-level management might be unlikely, though he remains open to other roles within the sport after taking a sabbatical.