Jurgen Klinsmann maintains the United States shouldn't be expected to win the World Cup, even if that stance is upsetting to some fans back home.

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

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 Portugal and Germany in one of the more difficult first-round groups.

 

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