Jurgen Klinsmann is a former German football player who was a rare-quality striker who played for some of Europe’s major clubs and also put in plenty of outstanding performances for the national team over the course of a nearly two-decade professional career. Klinsmann began his professional career with VfB Stuttgart and was selected to play for the German national team in 1987 after scoring numerous goals for the club. Klinsmann was a regular member of the national squad from then on, and he helped the team win the 1990 World Cup in Italy. Klinsmann scored 47 goals for the German national team during his career, which ranks him fourth on the all-time goalscorers list. He also helped the team win the European Championships in 1996. Klinsmann began his career with Inter Milan in Italy before moving on to Monaco, Tottenham Hotspur, and Bayern Munich. With Bayern Munich, he won one league title. Klinsmann became a coach when his professional football career ended, and in 2006, he led the German national team to the World Cup semifinals. He also managed Bayern Munich, but it was a disastrous experience. He is now the manager of the United States national soccer team.
Childhood and Adolescence
Jurgen Klinsmann was born in Goppingen, West Germany, on July 30, 1964, to Siegfried and Martha Klinsmann. His father was a talented baker who later established his own bakery. Jurgen is the youngest of three brothers.
He began playing football as a child and began playing for a non-professional team called TB Gingen when he was eight years old; he was a prolific goal scorer for the club. He moved to SC Geislingen when he was ten years old.
Jurgen’s family relocated to Stuttgart when he was 14 years old, following his father’s desire to create his own bakery in the city. At the age of 16, Jurgen signed a contract with Stuttgarter Kickers, a German association football team. In 1982, he completed his apprenticeship as a baker at his parents’ request.
The Career of Jurgen
In 1982, Jurgen Klinsmann made his professional debut with Stuttgarter Kickers. He became one of their most important players, scoring 19 goals for the team at the end of the 1983-1984 season.
In 1984, he transferred to VFB Stuttgart, a German first-division club, where he scored 15 goals in his first season.
Jurgen Klinsmann established himself as a prolific goal scorer at VFB Stuttgart, scoring 16 league goals in the 1986 season and an identical amount the following year.
He was picked for the German national team in 1987, and a year later he competed in the Olympics and the European Championships for the team.
Jurgen Klinsmann moved to Inter Milan in 1989 after scoring 79 league goals for VFB Stuttgart in five years. He scored 34 goals and helped the squad win the UEFA Cup in his second season during his three-year stay at the club. After losing his goal-scoring form, he did not renew his contract and instead transferred to French club Monaco.
Klinsmann was one of Germany’s most valuable players during the 1990 World Cup, which was held in Italy. In the round-of-16 match against the Netherlands, he scored the game-winning goal. Germany went on to win the World Cup, and Klinsmann was a key figure in the victory.
Klinsmann was a member of the German squad that reached the final of the European Championships in 1992, and he scored five goals in the World Cup that followed in 1994, although Germany was knocked out in the quarter-finals.
Jurgen Klinsmann joined German club Bayern Munich in 1995 after two seasons at Monaco and another at English team Tottenham Hotspur. He spent two seasons at Bayern Munich, scoring the most goals in each season and helping the club win the UEFA Cup in 1995-96. After that, he spent time with Italian club Sampdoria before returning to Tottenham Hotspur for a season.
Jurgen Klinsmann led Germany to victory in the European Championships in England in 1996, scoring three goals in the process.
He scored three goals in the 1998 World Cup in France, but Germany was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Croatia. Klinsmann scored 47 goals for Germany, making him the country’s fourth-highest goal scorer.
Jurgen Klinsmann was appointed manager of the German national team in 2004 and set about assembling a young squad. The team advanced to the World Cup semifinals in 2006 but was eliminated by eventual champions Italy.
He was appointed manager of Bayern Munich in 1998, however, due to a succession of poor performances, he was fired before the season ended.
Jurgen Klinsmann became the manager of the United States national football team in 2011, and throughout his tenure, the squad’s performances substantially improved, culminating in a round of 16 finish at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Achievements & Awards
Jurgen Klinsmann was a member of the German World Cup-winning team in 1990. Klinsmann was instrumental in Germany’s victory in the tournament.
In 1994, Jurgen Klinsmann was named German Player of the Year.
Personal History and Legacy
In 1995, Jurgen Klinsmann married American model Debbie Chin. Laila and Jonathan are the couple’s two children.
Estimated Net worth
Jurgen Klinsmann has a net worth of $16 million as a German soccer/football manager and former player.
He is currently the head coach of the United States national team in the World Cup, and he is best known for his time as a player for several prominent European clubs, including the West German team that won the FIFA World Cup in 1990 and the unified German team that won the UEFA European Championship in 1996.