Can USA win it? Yes we can, says Klinsmann

USA coach Jurgen Klinsmann on Friday urged his players to believe they could win the World Cup -- and told his squad to book flights home for the day after the July 13 final.

Klinsmann was criticised by sections of the US media on the eve of the finals for stating that the Americans were not realistic contenders for the trophy.

But after battling through Group G ahead Portugal and Ghana into the knockout rounds, the German World Cup winner is instilling a positive mindset.

The United States face Belgium in Salvador next Tuesday where the prize will be a place in the quarter-finals.

Klinsmann said his team plan on staying longer in Brazil.

"I think if everybody goes to his own personal limit in the context of the team, we're going to go further in this tournament," Klinsmann told reporters.

"But you've got to realise that moment. So I asked everybody, all the players to make sure that all their flights are booked after July 13.

"That's just how you have to approach a World Cup, no matter what happens now. You can always change your flights, so start with the end in mind. The end is July 13."

Klinsmann admitted USA lacked the consistency to compete at the top level year-round. But he said in a knock-out competition, they had a chance.

"Every single day we're going to have on the knock-out stage, can we do it? Yes we can," he said.

"This is now one of the benchmarks. We want to be one day in the top 10, top 12 of the world. So if we want to be there, this is now the moment," Klinsman added.

The German has instilled a fierce spirit which helped USA beat Ghana 2-1 and took them to within seconds of a shock victory over Portugal, before they conceded a late equaliser.

Klinsmann, a veteran of penalty shootouts including semi-final wins over England at the 1990 World Cup and Euro 1996, said his team had already been practising spot-kicks for weeks.

"It's just part of normal preparation. You have to be prepared for things. You prepare set-pieces, you prepare penalties," he said.

"You tell the players how to approach a penalty. It's a mental moment. If you're not prepared for that mental moment, to walk from the halfway line in front of 60,000 to the penalty spot and get the job done, I think it's wrong.

"You just have to walk them through that process and now in every training we will practise penalties. Hopefully they're ready and they're calm enough to put it in their favourite corner."

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-06-28

took me too long to realize he probably doesn't have a huge mass of dreads on the back of his head

Looks like a sandy blonde parasitic space spider.

Yes they can win------ but I wouldn't put the Farm on it.

America in the last few (10-15 ) years has been amazing on the football pitch. So even though the odds (betting wise) is against them, I will pick them to beat Belgium (just hope it does not go to a shoot out)--Belgium has I think the best keeper of the tournament

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These odds are obviously wrong. Brazil is not that much better than Germany or Argentina.

US have about the same chans of winning as Thailand have in world cup in ice-hockey

Not a chance

US have about the same chans of winning as Thailand have in world cup in ice-hockey

Uh... no. Thailand have never qualified to this day for a hockey championship at the world level.

The US, however, have qualified several times for the World Cup and are one of only 16 out of more than 100 teams that are actually qualified today. Thailand's chance up to today is absolutely zero, where "absolutely" is an absolute word. The US, however, have two chances of winning the World Cup - fat and slim. These are actual, real, chances that are very different from "no chance".

England have the same chance at football as Thailand have in hockey. Spain and Portugal have the same chance as Thailand. Italy and Russia have the same chance as Thailand. The US have, as you and I write, more chance than any of those mentioned.

Put it this way. I will give you odds of 12,000-to-1 and my entire salary and bonus and 25 years of cleaning your home twice weekly that Thailand will not win the next world hockey championship.

In return, you will give me those same odds that the US will not win the World Cup, okay? If so, you're on - for both bets.

(Please don't do the unmanly metrosexual "it's against the law to gamble" to try to weasel it. Take the bet or don't. Thank you.)

.

US have about the same chans of winning as Thailand have in world cup in ice-hockey

I thought the USA played very well against Germany, in fact the Germans looked very worried...

Nooooo walk in the park eh...........

Good teams believe they can win.

A matter of national insecurity: Why U.S. absolutely cannot lose to Belgium

Yeah i really think, the USA can win the soccer world series playoff.

Jurg the Diver....... can he fix it?

Jurg the Diver....... yes he can!

Of course the US can win it but so can Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Holland, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and even Costa Rica. Only Uruguay minus Hannibal Suarez, Greece, Algeria and Nigeria don't look good enough.

That's three quarter of the field still in with a chance.

typo edit

Edited June 28, 201412 yr by bigbamboo

The important thing at this point is that RUSSIA can't win. Hear they're whining about a laser beam? Crimea river, Boris.

Edited June 28, 201412 yr by Jingthing

A matter of national insecurity: Why U.S. absolutely cannot lose to Belgium

Yes that would clearly be unacceptable.

A matter of national insecurity: Why U.S. absolutely cannot lose to Belgium

Yes that would clearly be unacceptable.

I would presume if Belgium win it will be blamed on al.Qaida,or ISIS,by the majority of us citizens who think belgium is just of the I -rak,border.

A matter of national insecurity: Why U.S. absolutely cannot lose to Belgium

Yes that would clearly be unacceptable.

I would presume if Belgium win it will be blamed on al.Qaida,or ISIS,by the majority of us citizens who think belgium is just of the I -rak,border.

So you think we're all stupid, innit?

A matter of national insecurity: Why U.S. absolutely cannot lose to Belgium

Yes that would clearly be unacceptable.

I would presume if Belgium win it will be blamed on al.Qaida,or ISIS,by the majority of us citizens who think belgium is just of the I -rak,border.

So you think we're all stupid, innit?

Not at all,but you do tend to be a little vague on geography.

Not a real soccer fan, but I really like Klinsmann's attitude.

US have about the same chans of winning as Thailand have in world cup in ice-hockey

Uh... no. Thailand have never qualified to this day for a hockey championship at the world level.

The US, however, have qualified several times for the World Cup and are one of only 16 out of more than 100 teams that are actually qualified today. Thailand's chance up to today is absolutely zero, where "absolutely" is an absolute word. The US, however, have two chances of winning the World Cup - fat and slim. These are actual, real, chances that are very different from "no chance".

England have the same chance at football as Thailand have in hockey. Spain and Portugal have the same chance as Thailand. Italy and Russia have the same chance as Thailand. The US have, as you and I write, more chance than any of those mentioned.

Put it this way. I will give you odds of 12,000-to-1 and my entire salary and bonus and 25 years of cleaning your home twice weekly that Thailand will not win the next world hockey championship.

In return, you will give me those same odds that the US will not win the World Cup, okay? If so, you're on - for both bets.

(Please don't do the unmanly metrosexual "it's against the law to gamble" to try to weasel it. Take the bet or don't. Thank you.)

.

Remember that US only qualify because the always play in a group with Canada, Barbados, Trinidad and similar teams. Fifa like football to have teams from all continents. When it comes to winning, it's always a team from Europe or S.America.

Yeah i really think, the USA can win the soccer world series playoff.

World series play off?

Yes they probably will win it.

Although the so called world series is an entire different sport.