Jürgen Klopp has used the platform of winning an individual prize – The Best FIFA Men’s Coach award – to highlight the need for team play across the football industry, by announcing he has joined Common Goal, the growing social movement through which professionals in the football industry are changing the lives of disadvantaged young people all over the world.
Klopp, 52, who led Liverpool FC to the UEFA Champions League title last season, emphasized that “LFC’s UEFA Champions League win was achieved on the back of exceptional team spirit among his staff and players and that it is only by working together that we can accomplish truly meaningful things in football and in life”.
Two other Premier League managers, Pep Guardiola of Manchester City, and Tottenham Hotspur’s Mauricio Pochettino, were also shortlisted for the award.
Megan Rapinoe, one of the first female players to join the Common Goal movement in September 2017, won The Best FIFA Women’s Player award. Her fellow Common Goal teammate and World Champion with the US, Alex Morgan, was shortlisted for the award, along with England star Lucy Bronze.
Klopp said: “We are all in the very good side of life, that’s why we are here legends. The past was great, the present is really good and the future hopefully will be good for us as well.
But there are people out there that are not exactly in the same situation. I am really proud and happy to announce that from today on I am member of the Common Goal family.”
RB Leipzig Head Coach, Julian Nagelsmann, 32, who became the first manager to join Common Goal in October 2017, responded to the news: “This is a great moment in the development of Common Goal.
Jürgen Klopp, with his incredible achievements in the Bundesliga and the Premier League, as well as the way fans beyond his own club hold him in such high esteem, will have a tremendous impact on raising awareness of the movement and inspiring other football managers and top level players to follow suit.”
“We are thrilled to welcome Jürgen Klopp onto the team,” said Common Goal CEO and Co-Founder Jürgen Griesbeck. “He represents a new generation of leadership in global football that combines success with empathy. At a time when our world is facing social divides, increasing global inequality and political polarisation, his contribution exceeds the financial and will inspire football fans and non- football fans across the planet.”
Klopp added: “Since Common Goal started two years ago, the movement has grown steadily proving it is a simple, effective and safe mechanism for players and managers to give back through football.
As a team, even with a minimum pledge of just 1%, together the football industry is capable of transforming the world. Now is the time for those interested to take a step forward.”
Klopp joins the Common Goal movement as 7th head coach, following Julian Nagelsmann (RB Leipzig), Casey Stoney (Manchester United Women), Flemming Pedersen (FC Nordsjælland), María Pry (Levante UD Women), Jens Bauer (1.FC Heidenheim U19) and incoming Danish national team head coach Kasper Hjulmand.
