Klinsmann convinced Germany can achieve great things at World Cup

FootballSports
24 Jun 2026 • 1:21 PM MYT
DPA International
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Image from: Klinsmann convinced Germany can achieve great things at World Cup
FILE PHOTO - Juergen Klinsmann, then coach of Hertha, stands in the stadium before the start of the German Bundesliga match between Hertha BSC and FC Schalke 04 at the Olympiastadion. Soeren Stache/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa

Former Germany coach Jürgen Klinsmann is convinced that the national team can achieve great things at the World Cup following the performance in the first two group stage matches.

"Everything is possible. I'm really optimistic that we will go far in this tournament," he said on Tuesday during a visit to the German House of Soccer in New York.

He added he was "happy that things got off to such a positive start, that the atmosphere feels really good, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed."

Germany still have one game left in the group stage against Ecuador on Thursday, but have already qualified to the knock-out stage as group winners.

"From the moment you make it through the group stage, a new tournament starts. Then every game is a final," Klinsmann said.

The team will certainly need a bit of luck here and there, and it will probably have to face a penalty shoot-out at some point, he added. But Klinsmann also stressed that the team still has room to improve.

"It's going to be a long, long tournament," he said. That makes it all the more important that the players have a "good spirit."

Klinsmann declined to take a stance amid the debate over whether substitute Deniz Undav belongs in Germany's starting line-up after scoring three goals in two matches.

However, the he said he is "a fan of the number nine" and "a fan of Deniz. The way he came on and did his job is incredible, that's great."

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