Gary Lineker has named Jurgen Klopp as the one current manager under whom he’d have loved to play during his career as a footballer.
The Match of the Day host was an outstanding striker in his day, ranking as England’s fourth-highest scorer of all time with 48 goals (11v11) and representing the likes of Barcelona and Tottenham.
The 62-year-old was speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast when he was asked which manager he’d love to have worked under if he could have his playing career again.
Lineker replied: “I’d go first with Jurgen Klopp. I think he’d be a great manager to play for. Dynamic football, create loads of chances and, from a selfish perspective, I think I would have liked that.”
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Lineker’s reply illustrates the tremendous standing that Klopp boasts in the world of football, with the Liverpool boss being chosen ahead of other distinguished managers such as Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti, Arsene Wenger and more.
The Reds have often been a cavalier, free-scoring team under their current coach, even during seasons like the last one where they largely struggled, hitting six goals or more on four separate occasions in 2022/23.
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Having been such an astute poacher in his prime, it’s easy to see why the former England striker would love to have played under the German, whose teams have been scintillating at their best.
Klopp is also a manager who’s won the biggest prizes in club football, guiding Liverpool to becoming champions of the Premier League, Europe and – for the first time in Anfield history – the world, enchanting the fan base along the way and securing legend status on Merseyside.
It’s no wonder Lineker would’ve been in dreamland if his playing career had aligned with the managerial tenure of the current Reds boss.