Jurgen Klinsmann has been fired as the manager of the United States men's national team, the U.S. Soccer Federation announced on Monday.

U.S. Soccer did not immediately name a replacement in a statement that thanked Klinsmann for his efforts, but sources told ESPN FC that negotiations are ongoing with LA Galaxy coach Bruce Arena to take over the job for a second time.

Klinsmann took charge of the U.S. men's squad in 2011 and led it into the knockout stage at the 2014 World Cup.

But disappointing results since then put his job in jeopardy, with defeats to Mexico and Costa Rica in World Cup qualifiers this month proving to be the last straw.

"We want to thank Jurgen for his hard work and commitment during these last five years," U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati said in a statement. "He took pride in having the responsibility of steering the program, and there were considerable achievements along the way.

"Many are aware of the historic victories, including leading us out of the Group of Death to the Round of 16 in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, but there were also lesser publicized efforts behind the scenes. He challenged everyone in the U.S. Soccer community to think about things in new ways, and thanks to his efforts we have grown as an organization and expect there will be benefits from his work for years to come."

Arena's contract with the Galaxy was set to expire next month, but the 65-year-old recently signed a two-year extension with the MLS club, multiple sources said. However, the new deal would allow Arena -- who coached the U.S. at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups -- to leave if he were offered the national team job.

Klinsmann had been under contract through the 2018 World Cup, but the U.S. lost 2-1 to chief rival Mexico in Columbus, Ohio, on Nov. 11, and then 4-0 away to Costa Rica four days later.

The results left the U.S. at the bottom of the six-team regional CONCACAF group with eight games to play. The top three teams qualify for the World Cup, while the fourth will enter a two-legged intercontinental playoff against a team from the Asian confederation for one of the final spots in Russia.

Jurgen Klinsmann was fired after his team lost to Mexico and Costa Rica this month.

In interviews on Sunday, Klinsmann said he was "1,000 percent" certain that the U.S. would still qualify, and then said he was "not afraid" at the prospect of losing his job, while also saying his critics "don't understand soccer or the team." He also discussed tactics in a Q&A; with fans on Facebook, which made Monday's firing appear all the more sudden.

"While we remain confident that we have quality players to help us advance to Russia 2018, the form and growth of the team up to this point left us convinced that we need to go in a different direction," Gulati's statement continued. "With the next qualifying match in late March, we have several months to refocus the group and determine the best way forward to ensure a successful journey to qualify for our eighth-consecutive World Cup.

"There has never been a greater time for soccer in this country, and with the support and efforts of the millions of fans, sponsors, media and friends, we look forward to continued progress in the game we all love."

Klinsmann received praise for leading the U.S. through a difficult group at the 2014 World Cup, only to lose to Belgium in extra time in the round of 16.

U.S. Soccer has parted ways with #USMNT Head Coach and Technical Director Jurgen Klinsmann: https://t.co/iCc8DA5RGB - U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) November 21, 2016

But since then, the U.S. finished a disappointing fourth at the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup, then in October of last year lost a Confederations Cup playoff to Mexico in a game that was seen as key for preparing for 2018.

The World Cup qualifying campaign was not without incident in the previous round, as Klinsmann's men lost 2-0 at Guatemala in March.

Klinsmann's job was thought to be in jeopardy during the Copa America tournament in June, but the U.S. reached the semifinals. However, the gulf between the Americans and the world's elite nations was clear in their 4-0 defeat to Argentina.

A former star player for Germany, Klinsmann spent the end of last week in his homeland, where he attended a state dinner with German chancellor Angela Merkel and U.S. president Barack Obama, who the coach said was supportive following the recent defeats.

"He said, 'Coach, it didn't go well in Costa Rica, but it's only the start of the World Cup qualifying and you'll get back on the right track,'" Klinsmann said of his conversation with Obama. "He understands that it's a long qualifying process. He also understands dynamics of soccer as a global sport and how it builds bridges."

ESPN FC's United States reporter Jeff Carlisle contributed to this report.</s>Jürgen Klinsmann’s reign as coach of the United States men’s team is over, with US Soccer announcing his departure on Monday.

The news comes after the US lost successive games to Mexico and Costa Rica in the qualifying campaign for the 2018 World Cup.

“Today we made the difficult decision of parting ways with Jurgen Klinsmann, our head coach of the US men’s national team and technical director,” said the head of US Soccer in a statement. “We want to thank Jürgen for his hard work and commitment during these last five years. He took pride in having the responsibility of steering the program, and there were considerable achievements along the way.

“Many are aware of the historic victories, including leading us out of the Group of Death to the Round of 16 in the 2014 Fifa World Cup, but there were also lesser publicized efforts behind the scenes. He challenged everyone in the US Soccer community to think about things in new ways, and thanks to his efforts we have grown as an organization and expect there will be benefits from his work for years to come.

“While we remain confident that we have quality players to help us advance to Russia 2018, the form and growth of the team up to this point left us convinced that we need to go in a different direction. With the next Qualifying match in late March, we have several months to refocus the group and determine the best way forward to ensure a successful journey to qualify for our eighth consecutive World Cup.

“There has never been a greater time for soccer in this country, and with the support and efforts of the millions of fans, sponsors, media and friends, we look forward to continued progress in the game we all love.”

US Soccer did not immediately give a timeframe for the recruitment of Klinsmann’s successor, though Sam Borden of the New York Times reported the likely choice is Bruce Arena, who previously coached the national team from 1998 through 2006.

Klinsmann, who managed Germany to a third-place finish on home soil at the 2006 World Cup, oversaw the national team for 98 matches since his appointment in 2011. His 55 victories, against 28 losses and 15 draws, rank second all time behind Arena’s 71.

But his record against opponents ranked in the top 20 of Fifa’s world rankings – two victories, eight losses, two draws and a minus-10 goal differential – was the worst in modern national team history.

Highlights of Klinsmann’s tenure include guiding the team to the last 16 of the 2014 World Cup and their first ever victory over Mexico at the Estadio Azteca in 2012. He also coached the team to their fifth Concacaf Gold Cup victory in 2014.</s>Jurgen Klinsmann was fired as coach of the U.S. soccer team Monday, six days after a 4-0 loss at Costa Rica dropped the Americans to 0-2 in the final round of World Cup qualifying.

Los Angeles Galaxy coach Bruce Arena is the favourite to succeed Klinsmann, and his hiring could be announced as early as Tuesday. Arena coached the national team from 1998 to 2006.

Qualifying resumes when the U.S. hosts Honduras on March 24 and plays four days later at Panama.

“While we remain confident that we have quality players to help us advance to Russia 2018, the form and growth of the team up to this point left us convinced that we need to go in a different direction,” U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati said in a statement. “With the next qualifying match in late March, we have several months to refocus the group and determine the best way forward to ensure a successful journey to qualify for our eighth consecutive World Cup.”

A former German star forward who has lived mostly in Southern California since retiring as a player in 1998, Klinsmann replaced Bob Bradley in July 2011 and led the team to the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup title and the second round of the 2014 World Cup, where the Americans lost to Belgium in extra time.

The USSF announced in December 2013 a four-year contract extension through 2018, but the successful World Cup was followed by poor performances. The U.S. was knocked out by Jamaica in last year’s Gold Cup semifinals and lost to Mexico in a playoff for a Confederations Cup berth. The team rebounded to reach this year’s Copa America semifinals before losing to Argentina 4-0. But this month Mexico beat the Americans 2-1 at Columbus, Ohio, in the first home qualifying loss for the U.S. since 2001.

And last week, the Americans were routed in Costa Rica, their largest margin of defeat in qualifying since 1980. They dropped to 0-2 for the first time in the hexagonal, as the final round of World Cup qualifying in North and Central America and the Caribbean is known.

While there is time to recover, given the top three teams qualify for the 2018 tournament in Russia and the fourth-place finisher advances to a playoff against Asia’s No. 5 team, players seemed confused by Klinsmann’s tactics, such as a 3-4-1-2 formation used at the start against the Mexicans.

“Today we made the difficult decision of parting ways with Jurgen Klinsmann,” Gulati said. “There were considerable achievements along the way ... but there were also lesser publicized efforts behind the scenes. He challenged everyone in the U.S. Soccer community to think about things in new ways, and thanks to his efforts we have grown as an organization and expect there will be benefits from his work for years to come.”

The U.S. had not changed coaches in the middle of qualifying since the USSF made the position a full-time job and hired Bob Gansler in 1989 to replace Lothar Osiander, who also at the time was a waiter at a San Francisco restaurant.

Klinsmann made controversial decisions, such as dropping Landon Donovan from the 2014 World Cup roster while taking along relatively inexperienced players such as John Brooks, Julian Green and DeAndre Yedlin. Brooks and Green were among five German-Americans on the 23-man U.S. World Cup roster, which drew criticism from some in the American soccer community.

He coached the team to a 55-27-16 record, including a U.S.-record 12-game winning streak and victories in exhibitions at Italy, Germany and the Netherlands. He has worked in the past year to integrate more young players into the lineup, such as teen midfield sensation Christian Pulisic, Bobby Wood and Jordan Morris.

Arena, a 65-year-old wisecracking Brooklynite known for blunt talk, was inducted into the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2010. He coached the University of Virginia from 1978-95, then coached D.C. United to titles in Major League Soccer’s first two seasons before losing in the 1998 final. As U.S. coach, he led the Americans to the 2002 World Cup quarterfinals in the team’s best finish since 1930.

He was let go after the team’s first-round elimination in 2006. Gulati unsuccessfully courted Klinsmann, who won the 1990 World Cup with West Germany and the 1996 European Championship with Germany, then coached his nation to the 2006 World Cup semifinals.

When Gulati and Klinsmann couldn’t reach an agreement, the USSF hired Bradley, who coached the team to the second round of the 2010 World Cup. A year later, the Americans stumbled in the Gold Cup, and Klinsmann replaced Bradley.

Arena coached the New York Red Bulls of MLS from July 2006 to November 2007, then was hired the following August by the Galaxy. He led the team to MLS titles in 2011, ‘12 and ‘14.</s>Former German international striker Jurgen Klinsmann was fired Monday as head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team after losing two straight 2018 World Cup qualifying matches, including last week’s 4-0 blowout to Costa Rica.

U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati announced the firing without naming a replacement. The United States does not face another World Cup qualifier until March.

“Today we made the difficult decision of parting ways with Jurgen Klinsmann,” Gulati said in a statement. “We want to thank Jurgen for his hard work and commitment during these last five years. He took pride in having the responsibility of steering the program and there were considerable achievements along the way.”

Klinsmann went 55-27 with 16 drawn in a coaching tenure that began on July 29, 2011, when Gulati named him to replace the fired Bob Bradley on a team where Bradley’s son Michael was a star midfielder.

Klinsmann, 52, guided the U.S. on a team record 12-match win streak in 2013 and his 16 triumphs and .761 win percentage that year set U.S. marks. But the Yanks stumbled to fourth in the 2015 Gold Cup, also losing a playoff to Mexico for the Confederations Cup.

Earlier this month, the U.S. squad stumbled badly in opening the final round of North American (CONCACAF) qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, falling 2-1 at home to arch-rival Mexico and then 4-0 at Costa Rica.

Bruce Arena, a five-time Major League Soccer champion coach now with the Los Angeles Galaxy, is thought to be a prime candidate to replace Klinsmann. The 65-year-old American coached the U.S. team to the 2002 World Cup quarter-finals and guided a 2006 US lineup that exited in the group stages.

Under Klinsmann in 2014, the U.S. matched their 2010 World Cup showing by reaching the last 16.</s>Klinsmann was under contract through 2018 but his future with the team had been in doubt after a pair of recent losses left their hopes of qualifying for the next World Cup in serious peril.

"Today we made the difficult decision of parting ways with Juergen Klinsmann, our head coach of the U.S. Men's National Team and technical director," U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati said in a statement. "We want to thank Juergen for his hard work and commitment during these last five years.

"He took pride in having the responsibility of steering the program, and there were considerable achievements along the way."

The 52-year-old former Germany national team coach and World Cup-winning striker had been in charge of the U.S. team since 2011 when he replaced Bob Bradley and was supposed to usher in transformative changes.

While Klinsmann's run with the U.S. team did indeed include some worthy highlights he was also criticized often for tactical shortcomings while some reports suggested the players tuned him out and failed to fully buy into his system.

The United States can still qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia but a stunning 4-0 loss to Costa Rica, which came on the heels of a 2-1 loss to Mexico, has them sitting dead last in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.

Should they rally and earn one of this round's three automatic qualification slots for Russia 2018, the United States would become the first team in CONCACAF history to finish in the top three of Hexagonal play after opening with two losses.

With their next World Cup qualifier not until a March 17 game against Honduras, Klinsmann's replacement will have plenty of time to take stock of the program and evaluate players.

"While we remain confident that we have quality players to help us advance to Russia 2018, the form and growth of the team up to this point left us convinced that we need to go in a different direction," said Gulati.

"With the next qualifying match in late March, we have several months to refocus the group and determine the best way forward to ensure a successful journey to qualify for our eighth-consecutive World Cup."</s>The 65-year-old Arena leaves his role as head coach of Major League Soccer team LA Galaxy and returns to the US side after eight years in charge from 1998-2006.

Arena won 71 of 130 games in charge of his country and took the team to fourth in the FIFA rankings.

"When we considered the possible candidates to take over the Men's National Team at this time, Bruce was at the top of the list," US Soccer president Sunil Gulati said in a statement.

"His experience at the international level, understanding of the requirements needed to lead a team through World Cup qualifying, and proven ability to build a successful team were all aspects we felt were vital for the next coach.

"We all know Bruce will be fully committed to preparing the players for the next eight qualifying games and earning a berth to an eighth-straight FIFA World Cup in Russia." Klinsmann, 52, was relieved of his duties with the US bottom of its World Cup qualifying group following losses to Mexico (1-2) and Costa Rica (4-0.) Highlights of Arena's US managerial career include beating Portugal 3-2 in the 2002 World Cup, before overcoming rivals Mexico 2-0 to reach the quarterfinals. Arena left the role three weeks after a disappointing 2006 World Cup campaign in which the US team finished bottom of its pool after losses to Czech Republic and Ghana. Since then, he has coached the New York Red Bulls and most recently the Galaxy. Klinsmann managed the US from 2011-2016 Former striker Klinsmann, who won the World Cup as a player in 1990 and managed Germany to third place at the 2006 World Cup, became boss of the US team in 2011. He took them to the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2013 and to the last 16 of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. "We want to thank Jurgen for his hard work and commitment during these last five years," read a US Soccer statement "He took pride in having the responsibility of steering the program, and there were considerable achievements along the way. U.S. Soccer has parted ways with #USMNT Head Coach and Technical Director Jurgen Klinsmann: https://t.co/iCc8DA5RGB — U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) November 21, 2016 "Many are aware of the historic victories, including leading us out of the Group of Death to the Round of 16 in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, but there were also lesser publicized efforts behind the scenes. "While we remain confident that we have quality players to help us advance to Russia 2018, the form and growth of the team up to this point left us convinced that we need to go in a different direction." Visit cnn.com/football for more news and videos The next World Cup qualifier for the US will take place against Honduras in March.</s>The USA coach, Jürgen Klinsmann remains, “1,000% sure” his side will qualify for the 2018 World Cup despite a 4-0 rout in Costa Rica last week.

He even has the support of President Barack Obama, the coach told a gala dinner in Berlin. In an interview with Reuters, Klinsmann said he was disappointed “and even angry” that his team had lost two World Cup qualifiers in the space of five days, having let in a late goal against the run of play to lose 2-1 at home to Mexico. But he added that the team had played well at times during 2016 and would bounce back and win at least 15 points from the 24 available in the next eight qualifying games, which should enable the US to qualify from the Concacaf region.

The top three of the six teams go through, with the fourth-placed country going into a play-off against a team from Asia. The US and Trinidad & Tobago are both pointless after two games.

“It’s important to put this in the right perspective,” he said. “We lost the two opening games and played the two best teams right away. We have eight more games to get the points needed to qualify. We’ve always reacted strongly when things were nerve-wracking.

“This team is always capable of reacting. We’ll correct this with the two games in March [against Honduras and Panama] and we’ll take one game at a time from there to get our points. I’m 1,000% sure we’ll qualify.”

Klinsmann said he was aware of the criticism in the media and calls for his dismissal after five years in the job, but he will not jettison his plan to patiently develop a team that would peak at the right time at Russia 2018. 



“When things go slightly wrong, there are some people who come out and are ready to chop your head off,” he said. “In the long run, that’s going to make the development of the team difficult. It’s important to stay calm and be patient. 



“There are definitely issues to be addressed but there is no reason to exaggerate them or panic,” he added. “I’ve been doing this for 35 years and there are always many reasons why certain things happen, both positively and negatively. 



“It’s important to have the end result in mind. And the big picture is the overall development of the team in the four-year cycle between two World Cups. You have to be ready to take some setbacks during that phase.” 



Klinsmann said the players were also confident that they had learned important lessons from the two losses, including failing to capitalise on their scoring chances against Mexico and then conceding a late goal at a corner due to poor marking. 



“Sometimes you learn more from defeat than wins,” he said. “Not everything will go perfectly in 2017 on the path to the World Cup. The team is still in the process of finding itself. We’ve seen strong improvements of some young players this year but we’re still hoping one or two younger players will emerge.”

With 12 wins, six losses and one draw, he felt 2016 had been a solid year - “except for the finish” - and called the US team’s wins against Costa Rica, Paraguay, Ecuador at the Copa America to reach the last four a seminal moment for US soccer.

“We had a maturing process at the Copa America that was outstanding,” he said. “We wanted to have younger players becoming more powerful and confident and got that. There is a real dynamic going on with players like Bobby Wood, John Brooks, Jordan Morris and Christian Pulisic.”

Klinsmann quoted President Obama telling him at a three-hour brainstorming meeting that also included a Nobel Prize winner, leading scientists and astronauts, that there was still a long way to go on the road to Russia.

“He said, ‘Coach, it didn’t go well in Costa Rica, but it’s only the start of the World Cup qualifying and you’ll get back on the right track.’ He understands that it’s a long qualifying process. He also understands dynamics of soccer as a global sport and how it builds bridges.”</s>Klinsmann, a World Cup champion as a player with Germany, was 55-27-16 since taking over the U.S. program in the summer of 2011. In 2013, he led the team on a record-setting 12-game winning streak, the longest in program history. A year later, he led them to the knockout phase of the World Cup in Brazil. He also won a Gold Cup title and guided the U.S. to the semifinals of last summer’s Copa America Centenario.

But the two losses this month marked the worst start in history for a U.S. team in World Cup qualifying.

No replacement for Klinsmann was named. L.A. Galaxy coach Bruce Arena, who coached the U.S. to two World Cups a decade ago, is among those being considered.

Sunil Gulati, president of the U.S. Soccer Federation, released a statement praising Klinsmann and his “considerable achievements.” But, he added, “the form and growth of the team up to this point left us convinced that we need to go in a different direction. With the next qualifying match in late March, we have several months to refocus the group and determine the best way forward to ensure a successful journey to qualify for our eighth consecutive World Cup.”

Gulati spent years trying to land Klinsmann as coach, eventually succeeding after the U.S. lost to Mexico in the final of the 2011 Gold Cup. Less than two years later, Klinsmann was rewarded with a contract extension through 2018, one that reportedly paid him more than $3.2 million in 2014 while expanding his duties by making him U.S. Soccer’s technical director as well.

In addition to Arena, who guided the U.S. in the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup, other candidates to replacement Klinsmann include Tab Ramos, a former U.S. international who is a Klinsmann assistant; and MLS coaches Peter Vermes (Sporting Kansas City), Jason Kreis (Orlando City) and Oscar Pareja (FC Dallas).

U.S. Soccer has scheduled a conference call with Gulati for this morning, at which he is expected to introduce the new coach. A federation spokesman confirmed Arena, 65, is among those being considered. The most successful coach in U.S. Soccer history, Arena won a record 71 games with the national team and five MLS titles with the Galaxy and D.C. United.

But he recently signed a two-year contract extension with the Galaxy, a deal that does not include an out clause allowing him to leave for the national team. However, it is believed the organization would not stand in Arena’s way if he wanted to leave.

Klinsmann’s tenure with the national team, while marked by success, also had some deflating setbacks, especially in the last 18 months. In 2015, the U.S. failed to finish in the top three in the CONCACAF Gold Cup for the first time in 15 years, for example, part of a run that saw the Americans lose four consecutive games to CONCACAF teams on U.S. soil for the first time in 50 years.

Then came this month’s qualifying losses to Mexico — the first qualifying loss at home in 15 years — and Costa Rica, the latter a 4-0 rout in San Jose that marked the most one-sided qualifying loss for an American team since 1980. Along the way Klinsmann tinkered with both his lineup choices and formations, often using players at positions where they were not comfortable.

And players who fell out of favor with the coach found it hard to get back on his good side. Landon Donovan, the all-time leader in goals and assists for the national team, took a sabbatical early in 2013, then came back to lead the team in scoring that year. Yet he was still cut from the World Cup team a year later.

Hours before the Mexico qualifier, Gulati said he expected Klinsmann to coach the team through the 2018 World Cup in Russia, noting that the U.S. had not replaced a manager during the final round of qualifying since 1989.

Less than two weeks later, Klinsmann was out.</s>NEW YORK | In a sign of just how much American soccer has grown up, U.S. national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann was fired after a pair of losses in the final round World Cup qualifying.

Six days after a 4-0 loss at Costa Rica dropped the Americans to 0-2, Klinsmann was terminated after nearly 5 1/2 years during a meeting Monday at a Los Angeles hotel with U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati and Secretary General Dan Flynn.

FILE - In this Nov. 12, 2015, file photo, United States men's national soccer team coach Jurgen Klinsmann watches his team warm up during practice in St. Louis. Klinsmann is out as coach of the U.S. soccer team. U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati announced Monday, Nov. 21, 2016, that Klinsmann has been “relieved of his duties” as coach and technical director for U.S. Soccer. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson. File) FILE - In this Nov. 14, 2016, file photo, United States coach Jurgen Klinsmann answers questions during a press conference at the National Stadium, in San Jose, Costa Rica. Klinsmann is out as coach of the U.S. soccer team. U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati announced Monday, Nov. 21, 2016, that Klinsmann has been “relieved of his duties” as coach and technical director for U.S. Soccer. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo, File) FILE - In this July 1, 2014, file photo, United States' head coach Juergen Klinsmann reacts during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Belgium and the USA at the Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador, Brazil. Klinsmann is out as coach of the U.S. soccer team. U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati announced Monday, Nov. 21, 2016, that Klinsmann has been “relieved of his duties” as coach and technical director for U.S. Soccer. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File) FILE - In this July 31, 2016, file photo, Los Angeles Galaxy Bruce Arena walks on the pitch following an MLS soccer match against the Seattle Sounders, in Seattle. Jurgen Klinsmann was fired as coach of the U.S. soccer team on Monday, Nov. 21, 2016, six days after a 4-0 loss at Costa Rica dropped the Americans to 0-2 in the final round of World Cup qualifying. LA Galaxy coach Bruce Arena is the favorite to succeed Klinsmann. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)

Los Angeles Galaxy coach Bruce Arena is the favorite to succeed Klinsmann, and his hiring could be announced as early as Tuesday. Arena coached the national team from 1998 to 2006.

Gone are the days when U.S. coaches were immune to the win-now mentality that permeates soccer. Qualifying resumes when the U.S. hosts Honduras on March 24 and plays four days later at Panama, and the USSF is expecting a quick turnaround.

“While we remain confident that we have quality players to help us advance to Russia 2018, the form and growth of the team up to this point left us convinced that we need to go in a different direction,” Gulati said in a statement. “With the next qualifying match in late March, we have several months to refocus the group and determine the best way forward to ensure a successful journey to qualify for our eighth consecutive World Cup.”

A former star forward for Germany who has lived mostly in Orange County with his American wife since his retirement as a player in 1998, Klinsmann replaced Bob Bradley in July 2011. He led the team to the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup title and the second round of the 2014 World Cup, where the Americans lost to Belgium in extra time.

The USSF announced in December 2013 a four-year contract extension through 2018, but the successful World Cup was followed by poor performances. The U.S. was knocked out by Jamaica in last year’s Gold Cup semifinals and lost to Mexico in a playoff for a Confederations Cup berth. The team rebounded to reach this year’s Copa America semifinals before losing to Argentina 4-0.

But this month Mexico beat the Americans 2-1 at Columbus, Ohio, in the first home qualifying loss for the U.S. since 2001.

And last week in Costa Rica, the Americans were stunned by their largest margin of defeat in qualifying since 1980. They dropped to 0-2 for the first time in the hexagonal, as the final round of qualifying in North and Central America and the Caribbean is known.

While there is time to recover, given the top three teams qualify for the 2018 tournament in Russia and the fourth-place finisher advances to a playoff against Asia’s No. 5 team, players seemed confused by Klinsmann’s tactics, such as a 3-4-1-2 formation used at the start against the Mexicans.

“Today we made the difficult decision of parting ways with Jurgen Klinsmann,” Gulati said. “There were considerable achievements along the way … but there were also lesser publicized efforts behind the scenes. He challenged everyone in the U.S. Soccer community to think about things in new ways, and thanks to his efforts we have grown as an organization and expect there will be benefits from his work for years to come.”

Gulati planned a Tuesday telephone news conference to discuss the switch. The U.S. had not changed coaches in the middle of qualifying since the USSF made the position a full-time job and hired Bob Gansler in 1989 to replace Lothar Osiander, who also at the time was a waiter at a San Francisco restaurant.

Klinsmann made controversial decisions, such as dropping Landon Donovan from the 2014 World Cup roster while taking along relatively inexperienced players such as John Brooks, Julian Green and DeAndre Yedlin. Brooks and Green were among five German-Americans on the 23-man U.S. World Cup roster, which drew criticism from some in the American soccer community.

He went 55-27-16, including a U.S.-record 12-game winning streak and victories in exhibitions at Italy, Germany and the Netherlands. He has worked in the past year to integrate more young players into the lineup, such as teen midfield sensation Christian Pulisic, Bobby Wood and Jordan Morris.

Arena, a 65-year-old wisecracking Brooklynite known for blunt talk and sarcasm, was inducted into the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2010. He coached the University of Virginia from 1978-95, then coached D.C. United to titles in Major League Soccer’s first two seasons before losing in the 1998 final. As U.S. coach, he led the Americans to the 2002 World Cup quarterfinals in the team’s best finish since 1930.

He was let go after the team’s first-round elimination in 2006. Gulati unsuccessfully courted Klinsmann, who won the 1990 World Cup with West Germany and the 1996 European Championship with Germany, then coached his nation to the 2006 World Cup semifinals.

When Gulati and Klinsmann couldn’t reach an agreement, the USSF hired Bradley, who coached the team to the second round of the 2010 World Cup. A year later, the Americans stumbled in the Gold Cup, and Klinsmann replaced Bradley.

Arena coached the New York Red Bulls of MLS from July 2006 to November 2007, then was hired the following August by the Galaxy. He led the team to MLS titles in 2011, ’12 and ’14.</s>NEW YORK (AP) — Jurgen Klinsmann was fired as coach of the U.S. soccer team Monday, six days after a 4-0 loss at Costa Rica dropped the Americans to 0-2 in the final round of World Cup qualifying.

Los Angeles Galaxy coach Bruce Arena is the favorite to succeed Klinsmann, and his hiring could be announced as early as Tuesday. Arena coached the national team from 1998 to 2006.

Qualifying resumes when the U.S. hosts Honduras on March 24 and plays four days later at Panama.

“While we remain confident that we have quality players to help us advance to Russia 2018, the form and growth of the team up to this point left us convinced that we need to go in a different direction,” U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati said in a statement. “With the next qualifying match in late March, we have several months to refocus the group and determine the best way forward to ensure a successful journey to qualify for our eighth consecutive World Cup.”

A former German star forward who has lived mostly in southern California since retiring as a player in 1998, Klinsmann replaced Bob Bradley in July 2011 and led the team to the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup title and the second round of the 2014 World Cup, where the Americans lost to Belgium in extra time.

But the U.S. was knocked out by Jamaica in last year’s Gold Cup semifinals and lost to Mexico in a playoff for a Confederations Cup berth. The team rebounded to reach the Copa America semifinals before losing to Argentina 4-0. But this month Mexico beat the Americans 2-1 at Columbus, Ohio, in the first home qualifying loss for the U.S. since 2001.

And last week, the Americans were routed in Costa Rica, dropping to 0-2 in the hexagonal, as the final round of World Cup qualifying in North and Central America and the Caribbean is known.

While there is time to recover, given the top three teams qualify for the 2018 tournament in Russia and the fourth-place finisher advances to a playoff against Asia’s No. 5 team, players seemed confused by Klinsmann’s tactics, such as a 3-4-1-2 formation.

“Today we made the difficult decision of parting ways with Jurgen Klinsmann,” Gulati said. “There were considerable achievements along the way … but there were also lesser publicized efforts behind the scenes. He challenged everyone in the U.S. Soccer community to think about things in new ways, and thanks to his efforts we have grown as an organization and expect there will be benefits from his work for years to come.”

Arena was inducted into the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2010. As U.S. coach, he led the Americans to the 2002 World Cup quarterfinals in the team’s best finish since 1930.

After the team’s first-round elimination in 2006, he was let go by Gulati. Gulati unsuccessfully courted Klinsmann, who won the 1990 World Cup with West Germany and the 1996 European Championship with Germany.

When Gulati and Klinsmann couldn’t reach an agreement, the USSF hired Bob Bradley, who coached the team to the second round of the 2010 World Cup. A year later, the team stumbled in the Gold Cup and Klinsmann replaced Bradley.
In soccer, Jürgen Klinsmann is fired as manager of the US men's national team after five years in charge, following losses to archrival Mexico and Costa Rica that left the USMNT at the bottom of their World Cup qualifying group.