“The poor Serbian left-back!” - Klopp jokes after Gruda's stunning debut
Jürgen Klopp believes Germany are beginning to realise their potential after an impressive performance against Serbia, with debutant Brajan Gruda earning special praise for a superb solo goal.
Klopp was delighted with Germany’s display against Serbia, describing it as a major step forward for a team still taking shape. His message to the players was that they need to start believing in their own quality.
“We have to get used to the fact that we are really good, or can be really good. I told the players that as well,” he explained. Perfection, though, is not the expectation at this stage: Germany do not need to win every game 10-0 to demonstrate their ability.
Gruda provided one of the clearest reasons for his coach’s enthusiasm. The Leipzig winger marked his first international appearance with a superb solo goal, prompting Klopp to recall a similar moment from the player’s time at Mainz.
“I remember his time at Mainz, where he scored a similar goal. Even back then, we said he was a really good player. The poor Serbian left-back today.”
Behind the joke was an emphatic endorsement of Gruda’s approach on his debut.
“He is an exceptional player. He simply played his game, took risks and had a fantastic performance. His first goal in his first international appearance – that’s a pretty good record, isn’t it?” Klopp said.
The coach also offered encouragement to Bayern youngster Lennart Karl, who missed out on the starting XI. Klopp made clear that the 18-year-old remains part of his plans.
“He is a good footballer too. He will play his games for Germany, just not today. I’m happy that we have players like him as well,” he said.
Netherlands clash puts progress in Germany’s hands
Germany have put themselves in a position to reach the Nations League quarter-finals, with Monday’s clash against the Netherlands effectively becoming a knockout encounter.
“We have it in our own hands to reach the next round on Monday. That was our goal,” Klopp stated.
“We want to show what we can do, what we have learned and how we are developing together. The first task is to show the world out there that we can play good football.”
