Jurgen Klopp is widely regarded as one of the best soccer managers of the modern era after major spells with Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool.
He transformed Dortmund into Bundesliga champions and later made Liverpool European and English champions after years of frustration and near misses.
Since leaving the Reds in 2024, Klopp has been away from management and has now been seen comparing soccer stars and clubs with American sports teams and athletes.
Jurgen Klopp makes shock Knicks call over Manchester United
Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
In an Instagram video from GOAL USA, Klopp was asked to pick between the New York Knicks and Manchester United.
His answer was surprising. Klopp chose the Knicks, despite United’s far deeper trophy cabinet and global soccer status.
The response may have been shaped by his Liverpool history. Klopp spent years competing directly against United, endorsing one of English soccer’s fiercest rivalries.
Even with that context, the answer still lands as a shock. United are 20-time English champions and three-time European champions.
The Knicks, by comparison, have won only two NBA championships. Their cultural reach is huge, but Klopp’s answer still felt more emotional than statistical.
Jurgen Klopp refuses to split Michael Jordan and Lionel Messi
The same video also asked Klopp to choose between Michael Jordan and Lionel Messi, but he refused to separate two GOAT contenders of each sport.
Instead, he turned the question into a joke, replying: “Michael Messi. Lionel Jordan.”
That answer was diplomatic, but Klopp was less neutral when asked to compare his Champions League-winning Liverpool side with the Chicago Bulls’ second three-peat. There, he picked Liverpool without hesitation.
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