The shock and disappointment that followed Klopp's announcement on Friday reflects the transformative impact he has had on Liverpool, a change not witnessed since the days of Bill Shankly half a century ago.
When Klopp arrived at Anfield in October 2015, he modestly referred to himself as "a normal one," in stark contrast to Jose Mourinho's arrival as Chelsea manager a decade earlier, where he claimed to be the "special one."
However, Klopp would go on to achieve extraordinary success as the only Liverpool manager to sweep all major trophies, including the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup, Club World Cup, and Community Shield.
Prior to his time in England, Klopp triumphed over Bayern Munich to win back-to-back Bundesliga titles with Borussia Dortmund.
Nonetheless, skepticism remained about his ability to replicate his achievements with a club that had languished for decades.
Upon his arrival, Liverpool found themselves in 10th place in the Premier League table.
It took time for Klopp's methods to be embraced. After a 2-2 draw against West Brom in December 2015, many questioned the wisdom of leading his players to join arm-in-arm in front of the Kop to celebrate a late equalizer.
Yet, his force of personality, charisma, and coaching prowess soon won over the passionate fanbase.
Liverpool's history has been marred by tragedy as much as triumph, most notably the Hillsborough disaster, which claimed the lives of 97 fans in 1989, leaving lasting scars.
Graeme Souness, former Liverpool captain, described Klopp as "a great communicator, a showman, and the leader of the pack," highlighting his perfect fit for a club where emotions run deep.
"Liverpool is an extremely emotional football club with its history, its tragedies. You feel that emotion when you go to Anfield and hear 'You'll Never Walk Alone,'" Souness said.
In many ways, it seemed appropriate that Klopp's road to glory was not a straightforward one.
Before the triumph, there were numerous heartbreaking moments. Liverpool lost their first three finals under Klopp, including the League Cup, Europa League, and Champions League.
In the 2018/19 season, Liverpool fell short of winning the Premier League despite earning a remarkable 97 points, finishing second to Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.
However, weeks later, they rebounded by defeating Tottenham in Madrid to win the Champions League.
Anfield witnessed one of its greatest European nights as the team overcame a 3-0 first-leg deficit to defeat Lionel Messi's Barcelona 4-0 and secure a place in the final.
The three-decade-long wait for a league title finally ended in 2020, but the joy was tempered by the Covid-19 pandemic, which forced the trophy presentation to take place in an empty stadium.
The pandemic brought its own challenges as Klopp, unable to attend his mother's funeral due to travel restrictions, navigated a season without fans in the stands in 2020/21.
As normality slowly resumed, so did Liverpool's success. They won the League Cup and FA Cup in 2022, narrowly missing out on a historic quadruple as Manchester City once again snatched the Premier League by a single point and Real Madrid claimed victory in the Champions League final.
Amid rumors about his future during a challenging 2022/23 campaign, Klopp's decision to step away came as a surprise. The 56-year-old admitted that he had simply run out of energy.
With Liverpool currently five points clear at the top of the table, Klopp is determined to end his tenure on a high note by clinching the league title in front of a packed stadium for the first time.
"After all the years we've had together, the time we've spent together, and everything we've been through, my respect for you has grown, my love for you has grown, and the least I owe you is the truth – and that is the truth," Klopp said in his announcement.
"We are Liverpool, and we've faced tougher challenges together. You have faced them before me. Let's turn this into strength. That would be truly amazing. Let's make the most of this season and give ourselves another reason to smile when we look back on it in the future."
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