Jurgen Klopp Secures First Germany Win as Mika Baur Makes National Team History
Jurgen Klopp finally secured his first victory as Germany head coach after Die Mannschaft defeated Serbia at the Allianz Arena on Friday, October 2. The 2-0 result ended a winless start to Klopp’s tenure and also produced a remarkable milestone for teenage midfielder Mika Baur.
After drawing with the Netherlands and losing to Greece in his opening two matches, Klopp saw his side respond with a much-improved performance in Munich. Goals from Tom Bischof and Florian Wirtz proved decisive, moving Germany onto four points from three matches in the Nations League.
Germany could have extended their advantage further had they been more clinical in front of goal. Serbia also threatened to reduce the deficit at times, but goalkeeper Jonas Urbig and the German defence remained composed to keep the Eagles at bay.
The match also belonged to Baur, who came off the bench in the 76th minute. The Celtic midfielder’s introduction made him the 1,000th player to represent Germany’s senior national team, adding another historic chapter to an already significant night.
Baur admitted that he had never expected his move to Scotland to lead so quickly to an international debut. His call-up itself had already come as a surprise, with the youngster included in Klopp’s plans for the Nations League fixtures against Serbia and Greece.
“Until I received the call-up, everything felt very far away to me. I knew that moving to Glasgow was the next step in my development, but I never imagined that it would also lead to something like this,” Baur said, as reported by Goal International.
The midfielder’s debut was part of a broader strategy from Klopp, who is using the Nations League to assess Germany’s depth and provide opportunities to emerging talents. The match against Serbia marked the first time since 2019 that Germany handed four players their senior debuts in the same fixture.
For Klopp, that approach is about more than simply experimenting with his squad. The German coach is using the competition to expand his talent pool and identify the players who can form the foundation of his team as preparations for Euro 2028 begin to take shape.
The victory over Serbia therefore carried significance on several levels. Klopp finally has his first win in charge, Germany have begun to regain momentum, and Baur has entered the national team’s history books on a night that could mark the beginning of a promising international career.
