Jurgen Klinsmann is staying as the United States coach to the 2018 World Cup.
Six months before leading the Americans at the 2014 tournament in Brazil, Klinsmann agreed to a four-year contract extension through 2018. Hired as coach in July 2011, Klinsmann is gaining the additional title of technical director of the U.S. Soccer Federation. His new deal was announced on Thursday.
"One of the reasons we hired Jurgen as our head coach was to advance the program forward and we've seen the initial stages of that happening on the field and also off the field in various areas," said US Soccer President Sunil Gulati. "In the past two years he has built a strong foundation from the senior team down to the youth teams and we want to continue to build upon that success."
The 49-year-old coached Germany from 2004-06, leading the team to a third-place finish at home in the 2006 World Cup and then quit. He coached Bayern Munich in the 2008-09 season. After winning the 1990 World Cup with West Germany and the 1996 European Championship with Germany, Klinsmann retired as a player in 1998 and moved to California.
"I am very fortunate to continue the work we started more than two and half years ago," said Klinsmann. "It's exciting to see the progress we have made, and we continue to make improvements on all fronts. The role of Technical Director is a huge challenge and also a huge opportunity as we look to keep connecting the dots to the Youth National Teams, Coaching Education, the Development Academy and the grassroots efforts in this country."
Klinsmann added: "These are fascinating topics and I am excited work with so many talented people and hear fresh ideas. For sure it means more work, but also many more fulfilling opportunities. It is vital that we stay focused on the development of our youth players and make sure the messages we are providing the senior team are being spread through our Youth National Teams as well the U.S. Soccer Development Academy."
The US has won 27 and drawn seven of 44 games under Klinsmann, qualified for its seventh straight World Cup and won this year's CONCACAF Gold Cup.
