When Jürgen Klopp returned to Liverpool for the final weekend of the season, he took time out to meet with a small SOS delegation so we could present him with a statue as a token of our gratitude for all he did for Liverpool FC during his time as manager.

In January 2024 when Jürgen announced he would be leaving at the end of the season there was sadness, incredulity and disbelief. But these emotions changed quickly to admiration and thanks for what he’d done in returning LFC to a club regularly competing for and winning major trophies again. In the eight years plus since his arrival at Anfield in 2015, he had converted the fans from ‘doubters to believers’.

Spirit of Shankly have presented numerous Shankly statues over the years, but we decided to commemorate Klopp with his own unique figure as a sign of our appreciation and approached Castle Fine Arts Foundry – the company responsible for The Beatles statue at the Pier Head, the Bob Paisley and Emlyn Hughes statue at Anfield, and the ‘All Together Now’ Christmas truce statue in the gardens of St Luke’s bombed-out church in Leece Street.

We met with sculptor Andy Edwards and gave him a photo of Jürgen taken at his last away match in charge, at Villa Park, which he used as his template.

The statue

Made from bronze and standing 18ins high, the finished work is astounding and perfectly captures the man who led the club and us on such an incredible journey. “It has been hugely enjoyable to work with Spirit of Shankly and Castle Fine Ars Foundry in producing this heartfelt tribute from the fans,” Andy said. “Jürgen is a true icon of the modern game who breathed new confidence and renewed winning mentality into this city. It’s a well-deserved tribute and an honour for me to have been a part.” 

Karen Gill, our patron, who with chair Paul Khan and vice chair Peter Hooton handed over the statue said it was an honour to represent Spirit of Shankly and present Jürgen with the statue. She said: “This gesture not only celebrates Klopp’s indelible impact on LFC, but also continues the enduring legacy of my grandfather, Bill Shankly, whose principles of unity and dedication remain at the heart of our club and its supporters, something that Jürgen also embodied.”

“The statue was given to Jürgen to recognise the work of a great man, our most charismatic manager since Shanks himself,” Paul said. “It wasn’t for the trophies or the great days and nights he gave us, although we will always be eternally grateful for those, it was gifted to him because he got us: – our culture and our politics, and we got him. Jürgen gave us back the most important thing you can have: belief.”

As for Jürgen, he was thrilled to receive it as you can see from his trademark smile.

Thanks to Castle Fine Arts Foundry for the statue and JJ Pimbley Jeweller, Crosby, for the engraving.