Klinsmann: Unrealistic For US To Expect Title

Jurgen Klinsmann maintains the United States shouldn't be expected to win

"If it's now American or not American, I don't know. You can correct me however you want," the U.S. coach said Wednesday in his first news conference after arriving at the World Cup.

Klinsmann won the 1990 World Cup as a player for West Germany and coached Germany to the 2006 semifinals. He caused a stir last weekend when he was quoted by The New York Times Magazine as saying in a December interview "we cannot win this World Cup, because we are not at that level yet."

The U.S. opens Monday against Ghana, then plays

Only eight nations have won the World Cup: Brazil (five titles), Italy (four), Germany (three), Argentina and Uruguay (two each), and England, France and Spain (one apiece).

"I think for us now, talking about winning a World Cup is just not realistic," Klinsmann said Wednesday. "First we've got to make it through the group. So let's stay with our feet

Updated June 11, 2014

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