Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp recently completed what he called a "very difficult" task in an interview with Camel Live: selecting the four greatest football coaches of all time in his mind, the "Football Coaching Mount Rushmore"—and he did not include himself.
After leaving the Reds in 2024, Klopp currently serves as Red Bull Group's Global Head of Football. "This is my Football Coaching Mount Rushmore. Choosing four people is really tough, but I'll give it a try," Klopp opened.
On Johan Cruyff
Talking about the first pick, Klopp said: "Johan Cruyff is the most influential football coach I've ever heard of. The way he saw and understood football is almost unparalleled."
On Pep Guardiola
The second inductee is Pep Guardiola. Klopp said bluntly: "The same goes for Guardiola. I've faced him head-on and know exactly how difficult it is to play against him."
Klopp's rivalry with Guardiola spanned the Bundesliga and Premier League, with the two competing for domestic and European top honors multiple times during their tenures at Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Liverpool, and Manchester City. Statistics show that the German manager held an advantage in many head-to-head clashes with Guardiola, becoming one of the toughest opponents in Guardiola's coaching career. However, in terms of trophy count, Guardiola leads with 6 Premier League titles compared to Klopp's 1.
On Sir Alex Ferguson
The third inductee is Sir Alex Ferguson. Klopp said: "Now it's really getting tricky. Let's go with the most successful manager in history, and someone I really admire—Sir Alex Ferguson."
On Bill Shankly
As for the final spot, Klopp weighed multiple legendary coaches, including Carlo Ancelotti and two Liverpool icons, Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley. In the end, he chose Shankly, who laid the foundation for Liverpool's dynasty.
"Ancelotti is certainly in my mind, as are Shankly and Paisley. I've heard many stories about them but never saw them in person," Klopp said. "However, I still want to put Shankly on the Mount Rushmore."
This list means that two former Premier League-winning managers, José Mourinho and Arsène Wenger, were snubbed, becoming the focus of external attention. Additionally, Franz Beckenbauer, whom Klopp had highly praised before, also did not appear on the list.
After Beckenbauer's passing, Klopp said: "He was not only one of the greatest players we've ever had but also possibly the most influential person in German football history. He made the football world a better place."
