Story by
Three Leipzig Players Step Into Klopp’s New Germany Era
- Story by
- Three Leipzig Players Step Into Klopp’s New Germany Era
David Raum , Ridle Baku and Brajan Gruda have been included in Jürgen Klopp's first Germany squads, giving the Red Bulls three representatives as the national team begins a new chapter.
Something is changing around Germany.
Advertisement
Jürgen Klopp's first squad as national team coach was always going to carry the sense of a reset. Instead of naming one conventional group, Klopp selected 44 players across two squads for Germany's four upcoming Nations League matches, opening the door to established internationals and players still waiting to make their mark.
Three of those players come from RB Leipzig .
David Raum, Ridle Baku and Brajan Gruda will join the second group, which is scheduled to face Serbia in Munich on October 1 before travelling to Thessaloniki to meet Greece three days later.
For Raum, the call-up represents continuity.
Advertisement
The Leipzig captain has been part of the German setup since 2021 and is approaching his 40th senior international appearance. He was also included in Germany's 2026 World Cup squad, making his experience particularly valuable as Klopp begins rebuilding a side following the tournament and Julian Nagelsmann's departure.
Raum has already spoken positively about working with Klopp, describing the new coach as a major figure in German football and expressing an interest in seeing the energy and values he brings to the national team.
Now he has the opportunity to become part of that process from the beginning.
Baku's story is different.
Advertisement
The right-back missed out on Germany's World Cup squad but has responded with a strong start to the new club season. He has recorded two goals and an assist in his first five competitive appearances for Leipzig , giving Klopp a player whose recent form has made his selection difficult to ignore.
His last Germany appearance came in November 2025, when he featured in a 6-0 victory over Slovakia. With eight senior caps to his name, Baku is now approaching another small milestone - but more importantly, he has been handed a route back into the international picture.
Then there is Gruda.
Brajan Gruda finally gets his Germany chance under Jürgen Klopp
Advertisement
For the 22-year-old, this is perhaps the most significant call-up of the three. Gruda has previously been involved around the senior Germany setup without making his debut, while his performances for Die Roten Bullen have strengthened his case for another opportunity.
He played an important role in Leipzig's push for Champions League qualification last season, contributing three goals and three assists after arriving from Brighton . His development has continued into the new campaign, including a goal in the DFB-Pokal and another impressive display in Leipzig's 5-0 victory over Hamburger SV .
Now Klopp has given him a place in the senior squad.
That is the broader significance of the three Leipzig selections. They are not simply three players added to a list. Raum represents experience, Baku represents a route back after disappointment, while Gruda represents the possibility of something new.
Advertisement
Germany's first Klopp era will begin against the Netherlands on September 24, before Greece three days later. The RB trio will enter later in the sequence, but their inclusion suggests that Klopp is looking beyond established names as he shapes his first Germany team.
For Leipzig , it is also a reflection of the changing identity of their squad.
Three players, three different stories, one new beginning.
And under Klopp, all three now have another chance to write themselves into Germany's next chapter.
