Bayern Munich honorary president Uli Hoeneß has cautioned against treating Jurgen Klopp as a “saviour” of German football, while saying he is optimistic Harry Kane will extend his contract with the Bundesliga club.
Hoeneß, speaking to Sky Germany, criticised what he described as a “friendly takeover” of the German Football Association (DFB) by Klopp and his team. Klopp has been appointed to a senior role within the organisation, with his agent Marc Kosicke also involved.
“Personally, I think Jurgen Klopp is a very good coach, really a very good coach. But I am not someone who likes hero worship. He seems to be omnipotent right now. It’s impossible for him to just wave his hand and make everything change.
“From what we know about him, he will work very hard and change many things, and many things will get better as a result. But he must be given time, and especially, people should not think he is a savior.
“One thing I don’t like about the whole thing is that his agent, Marc Kosicke, was also brought in. I am not entirely sure what he is supposed to do there, and I think that’s an issue. In my opinion, the whole thing is like a ‘friendly takeover.’ Klopp and his team have taken over the DFB, and I think that’s wrong.”
Hoeneß said youth development should be the central priority for German football and welcomed Per Mertesacker’s appointment in that area.
“I believe the most important thing for German football is youth development. I am very happy that Mertesacker is now taking over this area. Firstly, I think his comments on TV make a lot of sense. Secondly, he himself played at the highest level. Thirdly, he was in charge of the youth academy at Arsenal for eight years. If even he can’t do it, then who can? I expect him to bring a breath of fresh air.”
Hoeneß again called for the DFB’s national teams to be separated from the wider organisation and run independently. His proposal would include the women’s, men’s, U23 and U19 teams being placed in a limited liability company, with a profit-sharing agreement maintained with the DFB.
He questioned whether regional football association leaders should have responsibility for selecting a national team coach.
“How can the heads of regional football associations decide who should be the national team coach? They don’t understand these things at all. Football is so professional now, it must be handled by professionals. Therefore, I strongly recommend that the DFB seriously consider spinning off the national teams. In that case, I can imagine that we might be able to usher in a new era.”
Hoeneß criticises Germany’s World Cup display
The Bayern honorary president described Germany’s performance at the 2026 World Cup as “an absolute disaster” and “a disgrace to our country”, although he said Julian Nagelsmann should not carry all the blame.
“I think our team’s performance was an absolute disaster, a disgrace to our country. Of course, there are many different reasons behind this. Enough has been said about Nagelsmann; I don’t think the responsibility lies entirely with him alone. Our strength is indeed not top-tier, but even so, we could still play a good World Cup. The Argentinians have proven this. Their team was not strong, but they fought like mad, and that’s precisely what I didn’t see in our team.”
Hoeneß said Germany lacked the organisation and intensity required to compete effectively, arguing that tactical experimentation should have been completed before the tournament.
“I’m not someone who would say ‘go foul them.’ But you have to play tough, you have to fight to the very end. I said before the World Cup that if we don’t have a top team ourselves, then at least we need a well-coached team. But we didn’t. Everything was a mess; we were always trying new things. These things should be done during the preparation phase, not at the World Cup.”
He also attacked FIFA president Gianni Infantino over the possibility of political influence being used in decisions about player suspensions.
“Mr. Infantino has made some mistakes in his football career, but this is one of the most serious. If you let someone like Trump decide or influence whether a player should be suspended, that’s the beginning of the end for competitive sports. If we can accept even such things, then this is no longer the sport I know. For me, this is completely unacceptable.”
Hoeneß opposed the continuing expansion of the World Cup, which will feature 48 teams, with a 64-team tournament potentially considered in the future.
“I never thought anyone could come up with such an idea. And the entire direction Infantino is pushing fornow 48 teams, and next it will be 64. We are already giving up our players for six weeks, and after that it might be even longer, which is unbelievable. I genuinely support the smaller associations, but the World Cup must be an elite event. Otherwise, more TV stations will pay, but one thing will be sacrificed as a result: football itself.”
He advised Infantino to work with UEFA to resolve his position, warning that his future could become uncertain by next spring and that he might not be able to stand for election.
“I can only advise him to actively reach out to UEFA and find a solution. From what I hear, otherwise, by next spring, his situation will be very difficult, and it’s even questionable whether he will be able to run for election at all.”
Hoeneß was more positive when discussing Kane’s future at Bayern. He said sporting director Max Eberl and chief executive Jan-Christian Dreesen had maintained close contact with the striker’s family, who also act as his agents.
“I know that Eberl and Dreesen have been in very close contact with his family. His father and brother are his agents, and they started preliminary talks some time ago, so this is not new information to me. Such negotiations usually last for several weeks or even months, but communication between both parties has always been maintained on a very good personal level. I am quite optimistic; I think Harry Kane will extend his contract with us, which would certainly be a great stroke of luck for us.”
