Emotions were running high after his last appearance on the Anfield bench last May. Alongside the tears shed, Liverpool fans were filled with worry and uncertainty about the upcoming season under new coach Arne Slot.

Nevertheless, their concerns were unwarranted. Slot guided Liverpool to their 20th league title.

While the Dutchman played a pivotal role in Liverpool’s campaign this year, he credited much of the success, as he noted after his team was officially crowned champions on Sunday, to the squad and the culture established by Klopp.

This season, Liverpool only added one player, Federico Chiesa, who took on a supporting role. Despite this, the club managed to level their title count with their biggest rival, Manchester United.

In a documentary by BBC Sport available on BBC iPlayer, the journey of Liverpool to their Champions League victory in the 2018/2019 season is highlighted, showing how Klopp arrived and laid the groundwork for Slot to build upon.

Why Did Liverpool Favor Klopp Over Ancelotti?

During Liverpool’s search for a manager to succeed Brendan Rodgers, the “two main candidates,” according to former scouting director Ian Graham, were Jurgen Klopp and Carlo Ancelotti, both available at the time.

Ancelotti was recognized as a “great coach,” but Liverpool lacked the “kind of team” with “proven superstars” that the Italian typically led.

Conversely, Klopp had previously led a youthful Borussia Dortmund to Bundesliga titles in 2011 and 2012, making him a better fit for Liverpool’s situation at that moment.

“Our strategy was to recruit young players, nurture them, and develop them together to achieve success in a couple of years,” Graham explained.

Klopp took over as Liverpool manager in October 2015 when the club stood tenth in the Premier League. He promptly began instilling his philosophy and principles at Anfield, laying the foundation for Slot to utilize later.

“We always wanted to create stories to share with our grandchildren,” shared Peter Kravitz, who collaborated with Klopp at Mainz and Dortmund before joining him at Liverpool as an assistant coach.

“There’s only one path: do it as a collective. Engage with your friends, feel united as brothers or family. Understand the importance of support from everyone around you: analysts, physicians, physiotherapists, nutritionists. Success comes only through collective effort. If you’re isolated or leaving others behind, you stand no chance. Keep believing, pursue your dreams, and never relent. Eventually, the reward will come. Our aim has consistently been to excel, without anticipating guaranteed success.”

“Transforming Doubters into Believers”

Success in terms of trophies had been a long pursuit.

Liverpool secured an impressive 97 points in the 2018/2019 season, yet despite this remarkable performance, they fell short to Manchester City by only a point in the title race.

They also lost in the League Cup and Europa League finals in 2016, as well as the Champions League final in 2018.

However, Klopp’s relentless dedication ultimately culminated in his first trophy with Liverpool, a 2-0 win over Tottenham in the 2019 Champions League final.

This journey was characterized by Klopp’s unique blend of tactics, passion, and exhilarating football—style elements that Slot has refined rather than completely transformed.

“Our goal was to apply pressure on the opponent and prevent them from settling into the game,” said Kravitz. “We aimed to dominate even without the ball, and once we reclaimed possession, our first instinct was to attack immediately.”

“We had to evolve with the times. We were continuously learning, yet we maintained our core philosophy until the end.”

He further noted, “As a coaching team, we had faith in our methodology. It was essential to convince both the players and supporters to convert skepticism into belief.”

Kravitz acknowledged that Klopp’s style might sometimes appear “chaotic,” but emphasized, “that was part of the plan,” with a prime example being the unforgettable 2019 Champions League semifinal against Lionel Messi’s Barcelona.

After suffering a 3-0 defeat in the first leg at Camp Nou, Liverpool orchestrated one of the most iconic comebacks in Champions League history.

“Following the first match, a pivotal moment occurred in the dressing room when Jurgen stood and said, ‘Gentlemen, this match isn’t over. We’ve got another half. Yes, we’re down 3-0, but we are Liverpool, and we’re playing at home next Sunday,'” Kravitz shared.

“For us, football is always about playing with heart. Strategy, tactics, and instructions are important, but allowing the team to feel the game, the stadium’s energy, mutual support, and fan involvement—especially at Anfield—was crucial. That was our focus.”

“Klopp Fueled Everyone’s Passion for the Match”

Liverpool’s data analysis department calculated a mere 3.5% chance of a comeback versus Barcelona before the second leg; however, as Mohamed Salah’s shirt poignantly stated before the match, Liverpool under Klopp “never gives up.”

Divock Origi swiftly cut the deficit to 3-1 for Liverpool, with two goals from Georginio Wijnaldum—who was “furious” about not starting—bringing the score to 3-3, before the memorable corner incident unfolded.

As Barcelona was setting up for a Liverpool corner, Trent Alexander-Arnold, pretending to walk away from the ball, suddenly delivered a low cross that Origi slotted home, igniting an eruption of joy as Liverpool triumphed 4-0.

“Unbeknownst to me at the time, our analysts had been meticulously monitoring the execution of set pieces,” Graham stated.

“They noted that when Barcelona received a corner, they were often more engaged in their internal disputes than in defense. Divock and Trent were ready for this.”

“Credit belongs to the video analysts, as well as Trent and Divock for recognizing the opportunity and capitalizing on it.”

Liverpool then defeated Tottenham, clinching their sixth Champions League title.

“Playing for Jurgen is not challenging. He’s a motivator. He inspires you to run through walls for him, and he does the same for you,” remarked Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson.

“I believe he has an incredibly kind nature. He was often seen walking around the pitch, offering hugs.”

“He aimed for everyone to feel included in those moments. Attending training felt like the right thing to do. You could sense that everyone was continuously motivated.”

Although Klopp may no longer be at the helm, his players demonstrated this season that the atmosphere he cultivated at Liverpool remains, along with the “all for one, one for all” ethos ingrained in the squad.

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson added, “Jurgen consistently articulated his thoughts with precision before matches. He possesses a natural talent for igniting passion in everyone for the game.”

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