The extraordinary success achieved by some of the world’s greatest leaders often traces back to formative, and sometimes complicated, childhood environments. For Jürgen Klopp, one of the most celebrated soccer managers of the modern era, the drive that fueled his relentless career was rooted in the silent pride and unwavering expectations of his father.
Klopp told a similar story to Diary of a CEO host Steven Bartlett, saying his childhood home was defined by a critical mix of influences. He said he had a “very confident dad,” paired with a “very caring mom,” who was “just happy that I was there.” Klopp also described his mother as someone who “loved people.” His father, who was a traveling salesman and former amateur goalkeeper, carried definite expectations, Klopp added. He was “a bit afraid that I might be not ambitious enough” and wanted his son to be a sportsman, excelling in everything from soccer to tennis to skiing.
Klopp described being constantly challenged by his father, who was tough because “he wanted to bring the best out of me,” he said. Klopp told Bartlett his father would race him on ski slopes and in sprints, “never letting you win.” The manager admitted it “was not nice in a way” to experience this relentless competition.
This relentless pursuit of excellence, instilled by his father’s high standards, forged a foundational belief that sheer will could overcome natural talent. The manager admitted that initially he was “absolutely useless in most of the things,” and even his “teammates were better than me” at soccer. He realized he could only compete by being a “warrior on the pitch” from the first minute until the last—alluding to his favorite phrase for how he liked his teams to play, “like a heavy metal band.” This compensatory effort, spurred by the need to meet expectations, made him the competitive person he is today. He explained that his aggressive nature during his playing days stemmed from knowing “I’m not good enough” and trying to “squeeze everything out … from an aggressive point of view.”
His resulting character became a blend of both parental influences: the confidence and ambition from his father, and the empathy and love for people from his mother. This combination became central to his leadership philosophy. He noted that his ability to speak publicly and confidently, necessary for a leader, is “probably from [my father],” while his “love for people unintentionally, that’s from my mom.”
As a manager, this combination translated into a bespoke leadership style where he treated players “50% of the time completely the same, and 50% what he needs.” He stressed that effective leadership is not about what the coach wants to shout, but understanding “what they need to hear to deal with their situation.” By combining high expectations—telling his players, for example, “If you would believe as much in yourself as I do, that will be a start”—with patience and support, he created an environment where players felt seen as individuals.
