Klopp kicks off Germany reign with a 44-man squad and 16 uncapped players

Forty-four names on a single list. That's how Jürgen Klopp kicked off his tenure as Germany's head coach, with a squad far bigger than what's typically seen for these call-ups and, more strikingly, with 16 players who had never worn the national team jersey. He hasn't even coached a single minute yet, and it's already clear something different is happening inside the German locker room.

The former Liverpool manager decided to tear up the usual script following Germany's latest stumble at the last World Cup. Rather than play it safe with a smaller group, he chose to throw the doors wide open for his debut in the Nations League, with matches against the Netherlands on Thursday and Greece on Sunday.

One of the cases that drew the most attention was that of Younes Ebnoutalib, a forward for Eintracht Frankfurt, who could have chosen to represent Morocco, a national team he had already played for at the youth level. Born in Germany, he ultimately opted for Die Mannschaft and didn't hide the fact that Klopp's persistence was decisive in that decision.

I'm very, very proud. There were also conversations with Morocco, but they weren't as intense as with Jürgen. I'm just proud. It has to be said: he's one of the best coaches in the world. And when he calls you, you can't say no.Younes Ebnoutalib

The squad list includes a notable contingent from Freiburg, the club that reached last season's Europa League final. Four of their players are in position to make their senior debuts, among them defender Philipp Treu, who admitted his excitement at the prospect of training under Klopp even before thinking about official minutes on the pitch.

It's definitely something where you say, "hey, how great is it to be able to train now under Jürgen Klopp." And that's why I'm really looking forward to being on the field with him going forward, soaking up everything and giving it my all.Philipp Treu

His Freiburg teammate, defender Max Rosenfelder, said the connection with the new coach was almost immediate, something he credited more to Klopp's personality than to any tactical speech.

I think he's simply a very, very special person. I think he's someone who knows how to connect with and motivate people really well.Max Rosenfelder

Two groups, one idea

What surprised people even more was the method Klopp chose: instead of sticking with one fixed roster, he decided to rotate between two separate groups. A second batch of players will arrive for the matches against Serbia on October 1 and Greece on October 4. The intention, as the coach himself explained, is simple: get a thorough look at the material he has to work with before settling on anything.

Klopp was clear about the reasoning behind this massive call-up just last week, leaving no room for any early notion of a pecking order within the group.

I want to get to know as many players as possible. There's no A team or B team. The squads are put together in a way that makes sense both on the field and in terms of character and experience.Jürgen Klopp

With this opening move, Germany approaches the Nations League as an open laboratory, where new faces coexist with the natural uncertainty of a process that's just getting started. Thursday's match against the Dutch will bring the first real test on the field.