JURGEN KLOPP was playfully called a “curse” after his pal won only SEVEN POINTS on his para-badminton debut.

Liverpool’s previous manager, a Premier League and Champions League winner, arrived in Paris on the first day of the Paralympics to encourage his colleague Wojtek Czyz.

Wearing New Zealand colours, the Poland-born talent was hammered 21-5 21-2 by Great Britain’s Daniel Bethell in the first group match at the Arena Porte de la Chapelle.

Klopp, 57, is taking a break from football management after leaving Anfield after nine years at the end of the previous season.

Klopp hugged his companion in the mixed zone, looking tanned and relaxed but with a slight paunch, and asked, “How was it to watch him? Excellent, I enjoyed all five points (from the first set)!  He is, in fact, 44 years old!

“Will I return to watch him again?” No, not always. “I need to think about it, because today was not a successful day for me…”

 

 

Czyz, who has won four gold medals in para-athletics but only started playing badminton three years ago, replied, “Maybe he’s a curse!”

The two had been pals for more than 20 years, ever since Czyz fractured his leg in a football accident – he collided with a custodian – just days before turning professional at Fortuna Koln, which resulted in the amputation of his lower left leg.

Following that life-changing tragedy in September 2001, a charity match was organised in his honour, and it was then that he met Klopp, the then-manager of Mainz.

 

They ran into each other in a Lisbon harbor in October 2015, which is how they reconnected soon before Klopp joined the Reds.

A few years ago, Czyz and his now-wife set out on a global voyage with a prosthesis workshop aboard to donate prostheses to developing nations.

The two moved to New Zealand during the Covid pandemic, where he now sells Manuka honey.

Klopp and Czyz have been pals for more than twenty years.Klopp stated, “The stories behind athletes are always special, and my friend is super special.”

“That’s what I love about sports: it has the power to transform the world, sometimes for a short period of time and sometimes forever

“I stood next to Eleanor, his lovely wife, and we both had tears in our eyes because I understand that sport is all about the outcome and winning.

 

“But there’s a lot more to that narrative, and coming here is always so moving that I can’t wrap my mind around it. It’s an absolute thrill.

“Yesterday, we stood in front of the Eiffel Tower and thought, ‘Wow! Again! It’s quite special.

“We don’t speak every day, but we’ve known one other for 23 years.

“His tale is the most motivating I have ever heard. This story really must be told.

“He’s too weird; we’re so different. I am not brave enough to do what he does.

“He only told me yesterday how simple it is to dive with sharks.” I answered, ‘Yeah, I heard it now, I still don’t do it.’”

Czyz stated: “Jurgen is family. It’s remarkable that he’d want to come.

“Jürgen is here not only for me, but also to make a message about how fantastic the Paralympics and para-sport are.

“He was involved in all of my important decisions. For his 50th birthday, he said, ‘Hey, I don’t want presents; instead, make a donation to (the charity), which was Sailing4Handicaps.’ “He’s an incredible guy.”