Klopp targets first Germany victory against Serbia to spark national team rebuild

Germany head coach Jurgen Klopp has vowed to restore the national team to its former heights as he searches for his first victory in charge ahead of Thursday's UEFA Nations League encounter against Serbia.

Klopp has endured a difficult start to his tenure, overseeing a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands before suffering a surprise 1-0 defeat to Greece in his opening two fixtures. History will be on the line in their upcoming match, as no manager in the history of the German national team has ever failed to win at least one of their first three games in charge.

Despite the winless run, Klopp reiterated his confidence in the long-term project underway with Die Mannschaft.

"We will build a team that can cause problems for all teams," Klopp said. "We're just getting started in this process. We are all interested in bringing German football back to where we all want it to be."

Germany currently sit third in Group A2 with one point from two matches. Opponents Serbia are bottom of the group, having lost consecutive 2-1 games to Greece and the Netherlands while facing 51 shots across both matches. However, Klopp warned his side against complacency against an experienced and physically robust Serbian setup.

"Serbia's approach won't be much different from what Greece did," Klopp explained. "What makes Serbia particularly difficult to play against is their experience. They also have some excellent footballers. They know all the tricks of the trade, so we have to be prepared for that."

"They have a special mentality. It's not the best period in Serbian football at the moment, but the players themselves know what's at stake and have fought for one another. An opponent that sits deep is a major challenge for any team, at any stage of development."

Klopp also confirmed a key selection decision ahead of the fixture. While regular captain Joshua Kimmich will not feature, goalkeeper Jonas Urbig is set to make his senior international debut.

"I found out in training and was, of course, very happy," Urbig said regarding his upcoming debut. "It will be a very special moment for me."