Robert Lewandowski says Jurgen Klopp was "like a father" to him during their time working together at Borussia Dortmund.
The much-loved Liverpool boss has developed a great reputation as a brilliant man-manager, typified by the huge bear hugs he gives out after matches.
Klopp's relationships with his players helped spur Dortmund to back-to-back Bundesliga titles before subsequently leading Liverpool back to the summit of English and European football.
Lewandowski was key to the success at Dortmund, and opened up on how the larger-than-life German made such an impression on him.
Speaking to Barcelona's Gerard Pique on Cano Football , Lewandowski said: "Sometimes I didn't understand what he was doing. I was surprised, like 'Jurgen Klopp was that you?'
"He is like a father. You can speak to him about whatever you want, you can call to him at five o'clock in the morning and say you have a problem and he would come to you.
"I'm very happy I can remember him as someone who talked to me like a best friend."
Klopp was recognised for his achievements with Liverpool this season by the League Managars Association, who awarded him the Sir Alex Ferguson trophy for Manager of the Year.
The 53-year-old is regarded as one of the top bosses in world football, alongside Man City's Pep Guardiola, who also managed Lewandowski at Bayern Munich, as well as Pique at Barcelona.
And it seems Guardiola made an equally big impression on the Pole.
Discussing the City boss, Lewandowski said: "I was speaking with him a lot about what I should do, what I think about certain situations from my side because he didn't play like a striker.
"Sometimes he said to me 'you are the best' or 'you are better than anyone in this position', and I can say that Pep was the trainer who changed my mind about football."
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