Juergen Klopp secured his first victory as Germany’s national team manager on Thursday as the hosts defeated Serbia 2-0 in their UEFA Nations League match in Munich. The win marked a positive turn for the four-time world champions, who had opened Klopp’s tenure with a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands and a surprise 1-0 loss to Greece last weekend.
Germany’s goals came from Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz and Bayern Munich’s Tom Bischof, who both scored in a match dominated by a youthful German side. The victory lifted some of the pressure from Klopp, who faced the prospect of becoming the first Germany coach not to claim a win in his first three games. Instead, the result sparked cautious optimism as the team aims to regain its place among the international elite.
Klopp fielded an entirely new starting lineup, featuring three debutants among a squad of 44 players he had called up for this initial phase of fixtures. Goalkeeper Jonas Urbig of Bayern Munich, forward Derry Scherhant from Freiburg, and Brentford midfielder Vitaly Janelt all earned their first caps. Additionally, Celtic’s Mika Baur made history by becoming the 1,000th player to represent Germany when he entered as a substitute in the 77th minute.
The German side showed marked improvement over their previous outing against Greece, creating several scoring chances early on while restricting a largely lackluster Serbian attack. Aleksandar Pavlovic, Serge Gnabry, and Bischof all threatened in the opening period, while Serbia’s best chance came from a rare counterattack led by Filip Kostic.
The breakthrough arrived just before halftime when Wirtz skillfully navigated through the Serbian defense, hitting the post before Bischof was able to capitalize on the rebound with a powerful finish. After the interval, Germany maintained control, forcing Serbia deep into their own half.
Juventus forward Nick Woltemade missed a clear opportunity to double the lead in the 59th minute, sending the ball well over the bar from close range. However, Wirtz made amends moments later by creating space for himself inside the penalty area and placing a precise shot into the bottom corner, effectively securing the win.
Klopp praised Wirtz’s performance, noting the confidence the player had shown despite recent criticism of his club form in England. “The rhythm has to be: easy, easy, easy, Flo, Flo, Flo, Wirtz, Wirtz, Wirtz,” Klopp said. “A performance like that helps us, but it also helps him. If he was out of form, we wouldn’t just let him play anyway. But he’s in form and he showed that in training and today.”
The second goal ensured the victory for Germany, prompting a lively response from the fans at the Munich arena. The result offers a promising foundation for Klopp as he continues to rebuild the national team.