Jurgen Klopp has been in the headlines recently after Manchester United and Chelsea claims but the ex-Liverpool boss has been focused on his new job at the Winter Olympics
Kieran Horn and Amos Murphy
16:15, 17 Feb 2026
Jurgen Klopp was on BBC’s coverage of the Winter Olympics ringing the bell for the final lap of the Biathlon relay(Image: BBC)
Liverpool icon Jurgen Klopp has landed himself a new gig… at the Winter Olympics. The German left his post as Liverpool boss at the end of the 2023/24 season, before taking up the position of Red Bull Global Head of Soccer last year.
Despite stepping back from the high-pressure world of management, Klopp continues to be associated with a return to club football. Real Madrid surfaced as a potential option following Xabi Alonso’s sacking, but Klopp appears content with his current role at Red Bull.
This will undoubtedly be a relief to Liverpool fans, who would surely be less than pleased at the thought of Klopp managing another top European team. However, this news comes amid claims that both Chelsea and Manchester United considered the possibility of a move after Klopp’s departure from Liverpool.
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That’s according to his former agent, Marc Kosicke, who revealed that United and Chelsea enquired about his availability.
Both clubs have since denied making any such approach, but in addition to his Red Bull responsibilities, Klopp has accepted a new task elsewhere. That’s because he’ll be at the 2026 Winter Olympics to ring the bell for the final lap of the men’s biathlon relay.
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Klopp is known to be a big fan of the endurance sport, having developed a love for it whilst growing up in Germany’s Black Forest.
Furthermore, Klopp is understood to have greatly admired the iconic biathlete, Ole Einar Bjorndalen, who secured 14 Winter Olympics medals during his illustrious career.
Klopp is set to return to Anfield when the Liverpool Legends meet Borussia Dortmund in a charity match for the LFC Foundation in March. The Liverpool team, who will be captained by the iconic Steven Gerrard on the day, will face their Dortmund counterparts on Saturday 28 March 2026, with all proceeds going to the club’s official charity.
When questioned about his favourite sports beyond football, Klopp said: “I’m a fan of everything. I love all alpine skiing, I love all cross-country skiing disciplines, I love biathlon. It’s all just exciting. I understand some things better from watching them for years or from doing them myself.
“Other things I don’t understand at all. I have no idea how someone can bend down so low in curling, stay stable, and still push a kettle.
Jurgen Klopp was handed a big responsibility for one of his favourite winter sports(Image: Getty Images)
“I was even asked if I would like to ring the bell before the last lap. My first question was: What is that? We will be there; it’s my first live race.”
His words rang true as BBC cameras caught Klopp performing that very duty as France clinched the gold medal, Norway took silver and Sweden grabbed bronze in Milano Cortina.
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Demonstrating his passion for the sport, Klopp has previously made a documentary with Bjorndalen, with the football manager saying: “I don’t think Ole Einar has bigger admirers than me.
“In England they have no idea what biathlon is. They wondered who this Norwegian was, but when I heard it, I said: ‘Yes, I want to meet him. Where and when can I meet him?’
“He is actually on my bucket list. Now I can tick that box. It’s like meeting Muhammad Ali in boxing. Bjorndalen is biathlon. I try to explain it to the English. He is Franz Beckenbauer, Pele and Bobby Moore in one person.”