U.S. coach Juergen Klinsmann says he will sing both national anthems when his side plays Germany at the World Cup in Brazil.
The former Germany striker and coach told Sport Bild published Wednesday the match in Recife would be “a special chapter” in his footballing life.
Klinsmann, who was Germany coach at the 2006 World Cup, said he would definitely sing the German national anthem as well as “the incredibly beautiful” US anthem before kick-off at the June 26 Group G match.
Klinsmann, 49, has lived in the United States for the last 15 years and said he first he caught “the American fever” on a trip with Stuttgart Kickers as a 19-year-old. His wife is also American and his children “more American than German.” The match will also bring Klinsmann together with his former assistant and Germany coach Joachim Loew. The two are friends, and Klinsmann said no matter what happens during the game “our friendship won’t suffer.” Klinsmann, who won the World Cup as a player in 1990 and has been coach of the US team since 2011, said he believed his side would qualify behind Germany in a group also featuring Portugal and Ghana.
Germany, hosts Brazil and world champions Spain are the top favourites for the title, Klinsmann said.
Germany have matured as a team while players such as keeper Manuel Neuer and midfielders Mesut Oezil, Thomas Mueller and Mario Goetze have come through from the country’s performance centres.
Improvements had also been seen at club level, with four teams in Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and Schalke into the Chanmspions League knock-out stage.
“At some point the time comes: now we have to prove it, by also winning the title. I believe that time has now come,” he said.
