Could Jürgen Klopp lead the US team at the home World Cup in two years? The US Soccer Federation has been searching for a new coach and reportedly had ambitious plans. According to “The Athletic,” these plans may not materialize.
The US Soccer Federation apparently wanted to appoint Jürgen Klopp as the national coach. Initially, the English newspaper “The Independent” reported that the Americans had approached Klopp. “The Athletic” also confirmed that there was “initial contact” from the federation to the German coach. However, sources from “The Athletic” indicated that Klopp emphasized his desire to take a break from football.
Klopp voluntarily stepped down from his role at Liverpool FC this summer after nine years and announced he would not take on a new job immediately. Despite the rejection, the US federation is still interested in the services of the 57-year-old. There has been no response from the United States Soccer Federation so far.
On Wednesday, the US federation dismissed national coach Gregg Berhalter following their group stage exit at the Copa América. In two years, the USA will co-host the World Cup with Canada and Mexico, making the selection of a new coach particularly significant.
“Our immediate focus is to find a coach who can maximize our potential as we prepare for the 2026 World Cup, and we have already begun the search,” stated US Sporting Director Matt Crocker.
Recently, former US goalkeeper Tim Howard suggested in a column that the federation should hire Klopp and even offered to personally visit Klopp’s summer house in Spain to persuade him. “I believe I could lure him. Absolutely,” Howard wrote in the “Daily Mail.”
From 2011 to 2016, a German had already coached the US team: former German national player Jürgen Klinsmann led the US squad during this period. Last year, Berhalter was reappointed as the national coach. At the Copa América, which the USA is currently hosting with the finals scheduled for the weekend, the US team was eliminated after disappointing performances.