Jurgen Klopp disgusted by claim Germany squad ‘not white enough’
Germany national football team manager Jurgen Klopp has dismissed criticism from far-right politicians regarding the racial composition of his squad. Klopp labeled the comments as nonsense and reiterated his desire to reclaim symbols of national pride from extremist groups.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the ongoing tension between sports, national identity, and the rise of far-right political movements in Germany.
Jurgen Klopp is disgusted by claims that his Germany squad is "not white enough", branding the accusations on social media as "complete nonsense".
Klopp responded to questions in regard to the racial composition of his squad that had been posed online as he held a press conference ahead of his side's Nations League clash with Serbia.
"There is absolutely no reason to pay attention to these people," Klopp said. "You won't get my thoughts on this. I have little time in everyday life for idiocy - and even less on social media."
Klopp's home debut as Germany boss ended in a shock defeat to Greece on Saturday, which sparked several politicians from the far-right party Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) to criticise the number of non-white players representing the country.
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