Germany, under the management of Jurgen Klopp, suffered a surprise 1-0 defeat to Greece in the Nations League on September 27, 2026. The match took place in Augsburg, Germany, and marked Klopp's second game in charge of the team. The former Liverpool manager was looking to secure his first victory after a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands in his opening game. Despite controlling much of the game, Germany were unable to capitalize on their dominance and secure a win.
Greece secured a historic victory through a goal from Dimitrios Kourbelis in the 74th minute. The midfielder's effort from the edge of the penalty area took a deflection off Joshua Kimmich before finding the back of the net. This goal proved to be the decisive moment in the match, handing Greece a win that marked a significant result for the team. Greece had never beaten Germany in their previous 10 meetings, recording three draws and seven defeats.
Jurgen Klopp acknowledged that the manner of the defeat was disappointing, stating that while he could have accepted a draw, losing the game was not ideal. Klopp also recognized that his new-look squad would need time to develop, having only worked together for a short period. The German coach emphasized that the result was part of the process and that his team would need to work on building cohesion.
The defeat marked a significant setback for Klopp's Germany, who are ranked 12th in the FIFA world rankings. Greece, ranked 41st in the world, produced one of their biggest victories in recent years by overcoming Germany. This win also represented Greece's biggest victory in terms of world rankings since their famous win over England at Wembley in 2024.
Jurgen Klopp was appointed Germany's head coach on a four-year contract in July 2026, succeeding Julian Nagelsmann. The former Liverpool boss has now gone without a win in his first two matches in charge. Germany have failed to win in four consecutive games since their victory over Côte d'Ivoire in their second group match at this summer's World Cup.
The result moved Greece back to the top of Nations League Group 2 after their victory over Serbia on Thursday. Greece are now in a strong position in the race to reach the quarter-finals. For Klopp, the focus will now turn to finding greater consistency and building cohesion within a Germany squad undergoing a new phase under his leadership.
The defeat was a significant upset, and Klopp will be looking to address the issues that led to the loss. The German coach will be hoping to secure his first win in charge when Germany next take to the pitch. The team will need to work on their strategy and performance to achieve success under Klopp's management.
Key points
- Jurgen Klopp's Germany suffered a 1-0 defeat to Greece in the Nations League.
- The defeat marked a significant upset, with Greece securing a historic win against Germany.
- Jurgen Klopp has now gone without a win in his first two matches as Germany coach.
