Excitement levels surrounding the US men's national team are only growing, with an increasingly lengthy list of talented young prospects plying their trade for some of the biggest clubs in the world. Naturally, former Yanks' manager Jurgen Klinsmann is among those who have taken notice.
Klinsmann, of course, managed the USMNT from 2011-16, guiding the program through the 2014 World Cup in Brazil before his departure at the beginning of their infamous failed 2018 World Cup qualifying cycle. It's a whole new era since the 56-year-old former German international star was manning the sidelines, but Klinsmann has still followed the development of the domestic game quite closely, discussing his thoughts on that up-and-coming generation in a Wednesday media call with reporters, with some of his quotes relayed by Soccer America.
Based on what he's seen, Klinsmann said the overall direction leaves him confident that the USMNT can avoid a repeat of 2018 when they didn't advance to Russia. Concacaf third-round qualifiers for Qatar 2022 begin later this year.
"That's what they hopefully develop now over these years in these big clubs," Klinsmann said, "they develop the capability to take over responsibility when it really matters, so there is not another disaster coming along anymore, where everybody was speechless because the things didn't go so well in that particular game [2-1 loss at Trinidad & Tobago] and suddenly you're not at the World Cup.
"I think we have now a generation of players in the US represented in European clubs or represented in MLS teams that have more confidence, that have more – I would call it – coins in their pockets to pull out when it's necessary."
Klinsmann cited the success of US standouts like Christian Pulisic (Chelsea), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund), Weston McKennie (Juventus) and Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig) as players who have acted as trailblazers by breaking onto the sport's biggest stages at early ages. They've not only competed, but thrived.
"It shows all the American kids and talents and players, wherever they are and whatever league they're playing in, that there is a path," Klinsmann said. "To the biggest teams in the world, there is a possibility. If you believe in yourself, if you work hard and, obviously, if you have the skillset for it."
Soccer America has the full wrap of Klinsmann's most noteworthy quotes from that Wednesday availability, which you can read here.
