Advertisement
Greece stun Jurgen Klopp’s Germany to hand him first defeat
28th September, 2026 12:46 AM
Jurgen Klopp’s wait for his first win as Germany boss continued as his side were upset at home by Greece in the Nations League.
The former Liverpool manager was taking charge of his second match as head coach after a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands on Thursday.
Germany were beaten in Augsburg by Dimitrios Kourbelis’ 74th-minute goal after the midfielder’s shot from the edge of the box deflected in off Joshua Kimmich.
Despite dominating, the hosts – who had a much-changed side and brought on Florian Wirtz from the bench – failed to find a goal.
Greece are ranked 41st in the world and had never beaten Germany across their 10 previous meetings before Sunday evening, with seven losses and three draws.
Klopp, 59, was appointed on a four-year deal in July, replacing Julian Nagelsmann, who resigned after Germany’s shock World Cup defeat by Paraguay in the last 32.
They are now winless in four matches since beating Ivory Coast in their second group game at this summer’s World Cup.
The result meant Greece returned to the top of Nations League Group 2, having beaten Serbia on Thursday and well-positioned to reach the quarter-finals.
By defeating Germany, ranked 12th in the world, they recorded their biggest win by world rankings since they beat England at Wembley in 2024 when the Three Lions were ranked fourth.
Greece punish Germany
Greece managed to withstand Germany’s pressure for most of the match before finding the breakthrough in the second half.
Kourbelis’ effort gave the visitors the advantage they needed, with the deflection off Kimmich leaving Germany with little time to recover.
The hosts increased the pressure after conceding, and Klopp turned to Wirtz from the bench as he looked for a way back into the game.
However, Greece remained organised and protected their lead until the final whistle to claim a notable result away from home.
Early challenge for Klopp
The defeat gives Klopp more work to do as he looks to build a Germany side capable of competing at the highest level.
Having taken over in July, the former Liverpool boss is still familiarising himself with his players and assessing different combinations as he prepares the team for future matches.
His opening two games have now produced a draw and a defeat, leaving him still searching for his first victory in the Germany dugout.
For Greece, however, the result provides a major boost as they continue their Nations League campaign and push for a place in the quarter-finals.
