Criticism from the former team boss
Klinsmann on DFB claims: “Was shocked”
Updated May 28, 2026 – 3:59 amReading time: 2 minutes
Think big, demands Jürgen Klinsmann. For the ex-team boss, the only thing that counts is the World Cup title – anything else is “the completely wrong approach”.
Jürgen Klinsmann expects the highest possible standards from the German national team at the upcoming World Cup. For the former national coach, the goal can only be the title.
“We have an obligation to always set our sights on the World Cup title,” said the 1990 world champion of the “Rheinische Post”. In his view, reaching the quarter or semi-finals should not be seen as a success. “The target for Germany can only be world champions,” said Klinsmann. After all, Germany goes into the tournament as four-time world champions.
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The 61-year-old was therefore critical of the assessment of the last home European Championship. “I was shocked when they said the European Championship was a success with elimination in the quarter-finals,” said Klinsmann.
He recalled the 1994 and 1998 World Cups, when Germany was eliminated in the quarter-finals – against Bulgaria and Croatia respectively. “Everyone thought we were the blind ones,” said the former DFB captain.
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With his demands, Klinsmann is in line with national coach Julian Nagelsmann, who also dreams of the title. “Yes, of course, the statement is valid. There was a crucial word in it, I said we ‘want’ to become world champions,” Nagelsmann recently explained. The national coach was asked whether he would stick to his announcement after the European Championship exit against Spain.
Klinsmann, on the other hand, is skeptical about increasing the World Cup to 48 participants for the first time. “I’m worried that it will be watered down because there are too many teams that can’t keep up with the top teams.”
Klinsmann would like to coach a national team again
Klinsmann will initially accompany the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico as a TV expert for ESPN. From the round of 16 he will also work as a technical observer for the world association Fifa.
The former national coach did not rule out a return to the coaching bench. “Perhaps finding a national team after the World Cup would be a great thing,” said Klinsmann, who lives near Los Angeles. Recently there were “three or four requests,” “but those would have been compromises that I wasn’t convinced by.”
Klinsmann most recently worked as South Korea’s national coach. He was released from office in February 2024 after around a year in office. In 2006 he led Germany to third place at the home World Cup. He also coached the USA, FC Bayern and Hertha BSC, among others.
