Overview
- Speaking on Feb. 16 on the OMR podcast with Philipp Westermeyer, Jürgen Klinsmann urged people to judge the U.S. host only from on-the-ground experience.
- The former Germany coach said the DFB team can win the 2026 tournament if it avoids distraction from debates tied to President Donald Trump.
- He argued that politicized disputes hurt Germany’s performances in Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022, calling the Qatar controversy “fatal for Germany.”
- Reports of boycott calls over the U.S. tournament featured in his remarks as he warned against letting off-field arguments seep into the squad.
- A California resident for nearly 30 years and a U.S. citizen, Klinsmann noted MAGA’s presence in Orange County yet described the country as diverse and a place where his family feels comfortable.