Klopp could see the coach in me, says ex-Red Thiago

THIAGO ALCANTARA has opened up on his difficult decision to retire from football after leaving Liverpool - and cited the influence of former boss Jurgen Klopp on his decision to go into coaching.

- By THEO SQUIRES ECHO Reporter [e-mail] @thesquiresECHO

THIAGO ALCANTARA has opened up on his difficult decision to retire from football after leaving Liverpool - and cited the influence of former boss Jurgen Klopp on his decision to go into coaching.

The Spain international left the Reds when his contract expired at the end of the 2023/24 season, before later announcing that he was hanging up his boots the following July.

The 34-year-old was ultimately plagued by injury during his time at Anfield. Limited to just one late five-minute appearance during his final season at the club, he was only fit enough to make five substitute outings since the start of February 2023.

So it was hardly much of a surprise when the midfielder called time on his playing career last year. But that did not make Thiago’s decision any easier after a 15-year senior career playing for Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Liverpool.

“After such a long struggle to become a footballer - then to become the footballer I wanted to be - the hardest step was accepting that it was coming to an end,” he admitted.