Five-plus years since Jurgen Klinsmann’s tenure as coach of the U.S. men’s national team came to an end, the German legend remains a compelling curiosity in American soccer circles.
As a player, Klinsmann won the 1990 World Cup. As a coach, he steered Germany to third place in 2006. He then guided the United States out of a difficult group at the 2014 World Cup and to the semifinals of the 2016 Copa América. Known for his unconventional tactics, fitness demands and roster choices, he was fired early in a 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign that ended with the Americans missing out on a trip to Russia.