Jurgen Klopp was in the stands to support former club Dortmund in their Champions League final defeat by Real Madrid, he turned down “a fortune” for it.
Klopp made his first appearance since leaving Liverpool on Saturday while attending the Champions League final at Wembley.
The former Reds manager was spotted in the stands and received a warm welcome from the Dortmund fans, before joining in with a pre-match rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone.
His presence was expected, but Klopp received other offers to work in the Champions League final – including the “riches” of serving as a TV pundit.
That’s according to LFCTV commentator and UEFA media adviser John Bradley, who relayed the story he was told via his personal Twitter account.
I heard a wonderful story about Jurgen Klopp over the weekend. Offered TV fortune for UCL final but turned it down. I got the chance to be a part of UEFA VVIP….his answer ‘Eden Terzic was always there to support my Dortmund, so as a fan I will support his Dortmund’
— John Bradley (@jbradleymedia) June 3, 2024
The broadcaster added that Klopp was offered a place among UEFA’s ‘VVIPs’ for the night, but preferred his place in the box behind the fans next to his family.
Bradley explained: “His response (was) ‘Edin Terzic has always been there to support my Dortmund, so as a fan I will support his Dortmund’.”
Dortmund coach Terzic is a lifelong fan, and as well as having held a number of roles at the club, including as youth coach during Klopp’s time at the helm, regularly follows him as a supporter.
That includes the 2013 Wembley final in which Klopp’s Dortmund went down narrowly 2-1 to Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich.
• READ: Selfies, YNWA and Ulla sing! – Klopp’s night in the Champions League final
Klopp backed up his words with a post on his Instagram story before kick-off, writing: “I’m a fan tonight!”
The 56-year-old plans to spend his time off work traveling with his family, for whom he is building a house on the Spanish island of Majorca, as well as simply enjoying football again.
“I’ll come to watch the games, and if whoever the next (Liverpool) manager is doesn’t prefer to have me in the stands, I can’t be bothered this time,” he explained last month.
“I don’t think he will, but it was always a bit (like that) when I was at Mainz – and I was at Dortmund at the time anyway, you don’t go as a Dortmund manager to watch Mainz games.
“Then I was in Dortmund and I came to Liverpool, I didn’t have time to go to Dortmund – so I will go there and watch football matches (also).”
