Klopp attends Paralympics in Paris to cheer on Para badminton star

Rare are the occasions when an athlete Jurgen Klopp is supporting gets so soundly beaten that the German is jokingly called ‘a curse’ and admits he has doubts about coming back.

‘I have to think twice about it,’ Klopp joked in the presence of Wojtek Czyz, the para-badminton player he has known for 23 years, who picked up only seven points in his match against the British gold medal prospect Dan Bethell. Bethell found himself in the surreal situation of hearing one of the world’s great football managers – an animated supporter in the crowd for their match - telling him ‘good shot’ as he won.

‘I got a thumbs up from him as well, which was surreal,’ the British player said, admitting that he didn’t actually have a favourite football team. He’s a Bath rugby club fan.

It wasn’t simply friendship that brought Klopp here. He has been profoundly affected by the excellence of Paralympic sport and knew the impact that his brief presence here could bring. For once, a para-badminton post-match mixed zone was packed to hear the story of an opening match.

It rang with jokes as Klopp and Czyz discussed their relationship. ‘I enjoyed all five points! Klopp said of his friend’s first set. ‘He's doing constantly things that I'm not brave enough to do. He only told me yesterday how easy it is to dive with sharks. I said, "Yeah, I heard it now. I’m still not doing it."’

But you need only witness Klopp’s conversation with the 44-year-old out of the public spotlight, on a German language short film they recently recorded together, to appreciate the effect that Czyz’s resolve has had on him. Klopp is close to tears at one point.

Klopp was managing Mainz in the Bundesliga in 2001 when he read a news report about Czyz sustaining a knee injury, when colliding with a goalkeeper in an amateur match, which was so severe that his left lower leg had to be amputated. Czyz was to have begun a professional career with Fortuna Cologne, just three days later. The two met again at a charity football match involving Mainz and their friendship has grown ever since.

Czyz’s personality, indefatigability and extraordinary sporting ambition have contributed to it. After taking up Paralympic long jump for his native Germany, he didn’t lose in four years. After settling in New Zealand, he made their badminton Paralympic squad. He only picked up the sport three years ago.

Czyz said after Thursday’s defeat that Klopp had helped him never to give in. ‘You have to keep going. But you can lose. If you lose and you gave it all, then be happy with yourself. Try to be. And, you know, put a hook on it and go on. This is what I learnt from him.’

But Klopp seems to have taken most from this friendship. He related that Czyz’s story is such a source of inspiration that he has related it perhaps 500 times. His former Liverpool squad are well-acquainted.

When he twice failed to win promotion with Mainz in the early 2000s, it was Czyz who provided much-needed perspective. ‘There were difficult moments when it was hard to see the meaning in it all, to be honest,’ Klopp tells him in the film. ‘But to see you do so much, failing to get promoted is really like a kids’ birthday party in comparison. I’ve always been incredibly proud of you. I’ve never told you that, to be honest.’

Klopp resolutely avoided all questions about football on Thursday. Asked how life beyond Liverpool was treating him, he replied: ‘All good. Don't worry about me, I can fill my time easily.’

It was Paralympics sport and his friend that he wanted to talk about. ‘This is inspiring as a story for itself. Nobody would have done it. Nobody I know would have done it. And that's why it has to be told. That's why I want to do it.’

Czyz was looking ahead, relating how Bethell had set the standard he wanted to reach. ‘He had an answer for every shot today, he said. ‘If you give me two, three years to reach this intensity, I definitely could battle him in a better way.’