Bayern Munich is in the MLS All-Star Game and the top three players in college soccer are up for the Player of the Year.
The U.S. National Team had a record-setting year in 2013 and on Thursday, the federation announced that Head Coach Jurgen Klinsmann signed a contract extension through the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Klinsmann is 27-10-7 since taking over the reins with U.S. Soccer in 2011, with wins over Mexico, Germany, Italy, Bosnia, Slovenia and Scotland. He also led the U.S. to a Gold Cup title and the top spot in CONCACAF’s Hexagonal Round of FIFA World Cup qualifying.
“I am very fortunate to continue the work we started more than two and half years ago,” Klinsmann told USsoccer.com. “It’s exciting to see the progress we have made, and we continue to make improvements on all fronts.”
In addition to his head-coaching duties, Klinsmann also takes over the role of Technical Director under his new contract. With that title, Klinsmann will continue to actively build an integrated philosophy throughout the U.S. Youth National Teams, ensuring that the same standards of performance are met at all levels.
“The role of Technical Director is a huge challenge and also a huge opportunity as we look to keep connecting the dots to the Youth National Teams, Coaching Education, the Development Academy and the grassroots efforts in this country,” Klinsmann said. “These are fascinating topics and I am excited work with so many talented people and hear fresh ideas. For sure it means more work, but also many more fulfilling opportunities.”
The United States will open the 2014 FIFA World Cup on June 16 against Ghana and will also meet Portugal and Germany in the Group Stage.
MLS ALL-STARS WILL FACE UEFA CHAMPS
Also on Thursday, Major League Soccer announced that the 2014 AT&T MLS All-Star Game will feature 2013 UEFA Champions League winners Bayern Munich.
The match will be played on August 6, 2014, at JELD-WEN Field in Portland.
“It’s an honor for us to be the first German club to play the MLS All-Star Game. MLS is experiencing great development and we are very much looking forward to compete against the best players of MLS,” Bayern Munich Head Coach Pep Guardiola said in a release from MLS.
Bayern is the sixth international club to feature in the MLS All-Star Game, joining Chivas de Guadalajara in 2003, Chelsea in 2006 and 2012, Everton in 2009, Manchester United in 2010 and 2011 and AS Roma in 2013.
The German club has a roster that includes superstars Franck Ribery, Arjen Robben, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Muller and Philipp Lahm, among others.
HERMANN TROPHY FINALISTS ANNOUNCED
College soccer’s Player of the Year award is down to three names, as the MAC Hermann Trophy finalists were announced Thursday.
Patrick Mullins of Maryland, Notre Dame’s Harrison Shipp and Leo Stoltz of UCLA remain competitive for the annual award after the list was pared down from 15 names to three this week.
Mullins has 16 goals and eight assists in 24 matches in his senior year for the 16-3-5 Terrapins, who will face Virginia in the College Cup semifinals on Friday.
Shipp, a senior, has 12 goals and eight assists in 22 matches and has 15-1-6 Notre Dame in the College Cup, meeting New Mexico in the semifinals on Friday.
Stoltz had 11 goals and eight assists in 20 matches as a junior for the 12-3-5 Bruins. UCLA lost in a shootout with UConn in the third round of the NCAA Tournament.
The award will be announced on January 11.
