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It took five years, but U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati has the coach he's wanted all along.
Juergen Klinsmann was hired as coach of the U.S. men's national team on Friday, replacing the ousted Bob Bradley.
"We are excited to have Jürgen as the head coach of our Men's National Team," Gulati said in a press release. "He is a highly accomplished player and coach with the experience and knowledge to advance the program. Jürgen has had success in many different areas of the game and we look forward to the leadership he will provide on and off the field."
Klinsmann, who guided Germany to the FIFA World Cup semifinals in 2006, has been linked with the U.S. coaching job ever since Bruce Arena left the post following that same World Cup. When U.S. Soccer did not want to concede as much power over the national-team structure as Klinsmann wanted, Gulati turned to Bradley.
After the 2010 World Cup cycle, one in which Bradley guided the United States to the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup title, 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup final, first place in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying, first place in its World Cup group and a Round of 16 berth, Gulati again tried to woo Klinsmann to the job, but the two failed to agree on terms yet again.
Bradley was then handed a four-year contract extension but was let go on Thursday after an underwhelming start to the 2014 World Cup cycle, one that included a second-place finish to Mexico in the 2011 Gold Cup with a spot in the 2013 Confederations Cup on the line.
With a rematch against Mexico on Aug. 10 in Philadelphia, it will be Klinsmann manning the sidelines for the U.S. national team. He'll be introduced to the press in New York on Monday.
"I am proud and honored to be named the head coach of the U.S. Men's National Team," said Klinsmann, who most recently had been a consultant for Toronto FC and is the first non-American U.S. national team coach since Bora Milutinovic in 1995. "I would like to thank the U.S. Soccer Federation for the opportunity, and I'm excited about the challenge ahead. I am looking forward to bringing the team together for our upcoming match against Mexico and starting on the road toward qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup."
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