Published By: Admin

On This Day (June 16): On Klopp’s B’day, Here Are Some Lesser-Known Facts About Liverpool’s Greatest Manager

Klopp is the first manager ever to lead Liverpool to a Premier League title

Today, i.e., June 16, marks the 57th birthday of Jurgen Klopp, and unlike the past nine years, this day may get a bit lonely for the German manager. After all, Liverpool's greatest gaffer ever has already said goodbye to his English club after leading them for nine years and, in the process, winning multiple trophies, including the Premier League and the Champions League.

Given Klopp's on-field exploits as a manager are known to almost every hardcore football fan, in the following paragraphs, we have listed some lesser-known facts about the other aspects of Klopp's life.

A hairy affair

Have you ever wondered why Klopp always sports the same hairstyle with more or less a similar length? This is because he underwent a hair transplant in 2012, identical to former English great Wayne Rooney. Talking to journalists, Klopp once admitted saying, "Yes, it's true. I underwent a hair transplant. I think the results are really cool, don't you?"

A celebration worth a hamstring

The former Borussia Dortmund is known for its expressive nature on the sidelines. Whether his team is losing or they are winning, Klopp never sat silently in the dugouts. He was always spotted on the sidelines, either shouting at his team to do better or celebrating goals like a maniac. During one of those celebrations, Klopp's hamstring got pulled. The incident occurred last year when Tottenham Hotspur visited Anfield and Liverpool were 3-0 up within the first 15 minutes.

Loyalty above all

Much may not be aware that Jurgen Klopp had a long career as a football player before becoming a manager. He spent seven years at German club Mainz 05, starting as a striker in 1990. However, by 1995, he transitioned into a defender, playing for the club till 2001. Although it must be noted that Klopp was not a great player.

After playing nearly 11 years for the club, he became Mainz's manager and led the team to the Bundesliga from Bundesliga II for the first time in the club's history.

A father's dream

As a youngster, Jurgen Klopp showed little interest in sports. Not to forget, his father always dreamt of Klopp becoming a professional football player because he could not. Therefore, his father forced him to play tennis and football and even sent him to ski. A writer named Raphael Honigstein who penned a book on Klopp wrote, "He would really drive him forward by almost subjecting him to this brutal sporting regime. He was just demanding his son be perfect."

A family man

Despite his father's training and dream, Klopp still wished to become a doctor. However, he failed to achieve the grades to become a doctor. That is when he decided to pursue football as a profession. Former teammate Guido Shafer once revealed that Klopp was very different from other players. At 20, Klopp was married and had children, and therefore, he used to drive back home to his family immediately after completing his training. On the other hand, other players used to indulge in other leisurely activities; Klopp's off-field actions were very much like those of an ordinary man.

Last but not least, Jurgen Klopp's middle name is Norbert. Happy birthday, Norbert!