Klopp coy on Germany links, Gakpo overcome with emotion

Jurgen Klopp has said it is "not the right moment" to talk about becoming head coach of Germany following their World Cup exit.

The four-time world champions were knocked out of the tournament after a 4-3 penalty defeat to Paraguay in the round of 32 – their first shootout defeat in the global showpiece.

Defeat has seen pressure mount on Julian Nagelsmann, but former Liverpool manager Klopp – now Red Bull's head of global soccer – played down talk of him taking up the national-team reins.

Asked as a pundit on MagentaTV what would have to happen to consider the job, Klopp said in quotes reported on Bild: "I haven’t thought about that yet.

"I’ve often been in that situation myself as a coach, where a big dream has been shattered.

"I understand that when people talk about the national coach, my name is mentioned. But it’s not the right moment to talk about it, especially not with me.

"I have a job that I really enjoy. And as far as I know, it’s not a part-time job. The fact is, Germany was eliminated today, and this is not the moment for me to think about Jurgen Klopp’s future."

Germany finished top of Group E despite losing 2-1 to Ecuador in their third match.

Kai Havertz had levelled from Julio Enciso’s opener as the round-of-32 clash in Boston finished 1-1 after extra time, with Jonathan Tah’s extra-time headed goal disallowed following a VAR check.

Havertz and Nick Woltemade both missed from the spot for Germany, Antonio Sanabria and Fabian Balbuena blew two match-winning efforts for Paraguay, before Tah missed the target and Jose Canale settled it on sudden death.

Nagelsmann vowed he would stay in the role if the DFB wanted him to continue.

He told a post-match press conference: "I’m not one to run away. It’s not the first time, but it’s been happening for a while now that we’ve been delivering tournaments like this and yes, there are certainly a few basic things that I don’t want to go into now.

"I’m not one of those people who sits here and says, 'I’m resigning now, just because we’ve been eliminated’. If the DFB wants me to continue then I’ll continue and if they don’t want me to, then they can tell me that."

In quotes reported on FIFA’s website, shell-shocked Arsenal forward Havertz said: "I’m a little lost for words. This is my second World Cup and both times it came to nothing.

"All I can do is apologise. I thought we didn’t play bad football at the last few tournaments, but something was always missing. And it was the same today.

"We have to take a hard look at ourselves, especially the players, and I’m leaving the coach out of that."

Netherlands forward Cody Gakpo broke down in tears after scoring against Morocco just days after the death of his son during pregnancy.

The Liverpool player scored the opener for the Dutch in their last 32 match against Morocco in Guadalupe after being slipped in by Crysencio Summerville.

Gakpo then pounced on the ball before smashing a low finish into the net and crouched to the ground as his emotions overwhelmed him before being surrounded and embraced by his team-mates.

His goal comes only days after he and partner Noa van der Bij announced that their son, who they had named Elijah, had died during pregnancy.

Van der Bij wrote in an Instagram post on Saturday: "With broken hearts, we share the devastating news that our baby boy passed away during pregnancy.

"Thank you for your love and support. Elijah Raphael Gakpo, forever loved, forever our son."

In a post of his own Gakpo added: "This is an incredibly difficult time for our family. We kindly ask for our privacy and space. Thank you for your understanding."

Gakpo's goal looked to be decisive until Issa Diop levelled one minute into stoppage time, with Morocco then going on to win the tie with a 3-2 penalty shootout win.

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