After guiding the Reds to another Wembley final on Wednesday night, the 56-year-old will step down as Liverpool boss after a glorious eight-and-a-half-year managerial reign at Anfield, which has seen the club win six major trophies under his guidance to date.

Assistant managers Pepijn Lijnders and Peter Krawietz, as well as elite development coach Vitor Matos, will also vacate their positions at the end of the season, with Lijnders keen to pursue his own career in management.

Klopp's outsized personality made him a folk hero, but behind that was a ton of serious hard work that gave the club a sporting stability and consistency that they'd been lacking for so long. He guided Liverpool to three Champions League finals, winning it all in 2018-19, and finished in the top four for six consecutive seasons, which hadn't happened since the glory days of Ian Rush, Graeme Souness and "The King," Kenny Dalglish, 30 years before.

Klopp outlined the reasons behind it and the timing of today’s announcement, placing particular emphasis on the need for clarity at the earliest opportunity in order to create the conditions for an orderly transition to take place in due course.

He said: “I can understand that it’s a shock for a lot of people in this moment, when you hear it for the first time, but obviously I can explain it – or at least try to explain it…I love absolutely everything about this club, I love everything about the city, I love everything about our supporters, I love the team, I love the staff. I love everything. But that I still take this decision shows you that I am convinced it is the one I have to take.

Klopp was appointed as Liverpool manager on October 8, 2015. It was a decision that would revolutionise the club and establish it as a force at home and abroad once more. Under his stewardship, Liverpool have lifted the UEFA Champions League, Premier League, FIFA Club World Cup, FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Super Cup, as well as the FA Community Shield.

With five months still left to play of the current campaign, the Reds remain involved in four competitions – and while there are still trophies left to chase, Klopp will ensure any goodbyes are put firmly on hold until his final game in charge of Liverpool Football Club in May.