Adeyemi's huge miss steals headlines from Klopp's bumpy Germany debut

Jürgen Klopp's first match in charge of the German national team ended without a win, as a stoppage-time equaliser from Cody Gakpo secured the Netherlands a 1-1 draw in a UEFA Nations League clash in Amsterdam. The game will also be remembered for a huge chance missed by Barcelona winger Karim Adeyemi in the first half.¹²³

What happened

On Thursday 24 September 2026, Klopp took charge of Germany for the first time in a Nations League away game against the Netherlands. Germany had gone ahead through Felix Nmecha, but Cody Gakpo's stoppage-time volley denied them victory and the match finished 1-1.¹²³

During the first half, Adeyemi missed a big opportunity to add to Germany's lead. Reporting described the chance as coming from close range, roughly eight metres out, with the goal left undefended, after the ball was squared to him.⁵⁶

Klopp, who was returning to a touchline for the first time since leaving Liverpool, was seen reacting with visible disbelief as the ball flew over the bar.⁶⁸¹

Why it spread

One widely shared post joked that Adeyemi 'would not sleep well tonight' after failing to convert the chance, and the clip kept resurfacing alongside replays of Klopp's animated sideline reaction.⁴

The story gained a second wind days later when Klopp used a press conference to publicly back the young forward, saying he still values what Adeyemi brings to the team overall. Captain Joshua Kimmich also defended him, saying he was in no position to criticise given how few goals he himself scores, and Germany great Lothar Matthäus argued Adeyemi would normally convert nine times out of ten from that position.⁵⁷⁶

What is true

It is confirmed that Gakpo's late volley secured the 1-1 draw, that Kimmich publicly defended Adeyemi after the game, and that Adeyemi plays for Barcelona, where he had made a strong start to the season. It is also confirmed that Matthäus rated Adeyemi's usual conversion rate from such chances highly.¹²⁷⁵

Several details rest on single sources and have not been independently corroborated elsewhere in the dossier: that this was officially Klopp's first match in charge, that he took over in July after an early World Cup exit, that Jamal Musiala was withdrawn before kick-off with muscle pain, that a Netherlands goal was disallowed for a foul on the goalkeeper, and that Kai Havertz was substituted through injury in the 30th minute. Even the final 1-1 scoreline, though reported by several outlets, is flagged in the dossier as resting on a single source.²¹⁶

Adeyemi's age is disputed: one report lists him as 24, while another source's own account contradicts this. The precise minute of his missed chance is not firmly established across sources, so readers should treat exact timing claims with some caution.⁴¹