Departee Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp signed off from his nine-year-long stay at Liverpool with a 2-0 win over Wolves last Sunday. He is going to take a sabbatical from coaching after high-intensity roles in both Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool and spend time with family.
During his stay, the German has brought glory back to the Mersey side with the Premier League and the Champions League. Therefore, his departure was supposed to be a celebration, much like his stay.
After a difficult last press conference where Klopp made it clear that he would return to Anfield but only as a spectator, much to the blues of the Reds fans, he joined a fully packed after-party.
It was during this party did the fans finally see Klopp let loose. Klopp, much like his playing style, was at his energetic best. While most of the departures come with heavy hearts and teary eyes, Klopp’s afterparty was full of dance and enjoyment.
Former Liverpool left winger John Barnes was also in the party to perform and Klopp was there to make the most of it. In a social media clip that has gone viral, he was seen running to the stage and dancing to the famous Rapper’s Delight by Sugarhill Gang while John Barnes performed the legendary song.
Klopp had his dancing boots on and he was seen grooving to Barnes’ performance. Klopp’s dance was very similar to his celebration after winning the 2020 Premier League title. Klopp’s dance has helped the fans calm their nerves on social media as the former became one of the very few high-profile managers to leave their post on good terms.
John Barnes is famous for his expertise on the song as he had performed the same number during Liverpool’s third kit launch in 2023. Although fans initially mistook it as the Anfield Rap, later the name of the song was made clear by the fans on X. The song, launched in 1980, has been widely regarded as one of the most epoch-making songs of the hip-hop genre. It not only revolutionized popular hip-hop music but also had a huge influence on its global impact, including in the UK.
While people on the internet called his dance moves “dad dance”, the German is unfazed. In a previous interview, he had said, “I actually dance much better than that picture. Believe me, believe me! People told me a lot of times, ‘I don’t know why you play football, you should be a professional dancer!'”
The event, hosted at the Titanic Hotel, acted as both Liverpool’s year-end party and as Klopp’s send-off, was a blast. There was a meal also arranged for the players but the main attraction of the night was the song and dance. The Best, a chartbuster by Tina Turner also played.
Before the festivities, Klopp had hours of media requirements to manage. He was seen energetic during the entire process, including his last press conference as the Liverpool boss. Apart from promising to return as a fan, Klopp has also made his way into the dance lores of the club, it seems.
