Fri 22 June 2018, 17:17
Tottenham HotspurJurgen Klinsmann knows exactly what awaits skipper Harry Kane and his team-mates as England prepare to face Panama in the World Cup on Sunday.
Our legendary former striker crossed swords with the Central Americans seven times during his tenure as head coach of the USA national team between 2011-16.
Of those seven matches in World Cup qualifying, the CONCACAF Gold Cup and one friendly, Jurgen won five and lost just once, on penalties after a draw in the CONCACAF Gold Cup third place play-off in 2015.
As long as they are in the game they are very difficult to play, very difficult
Panama qualified for their first World Cup at America’s expense, in dramatic circumstances. Roman Torres scored a late winner for Panama against Costa Rica, which lifted them ahead of the USA and into the top three qualifying places by a point. Meanwhile, USA suffered a surprise 2-1 loss to Trinidad & Tobago.
That meant the US missed out on the World Cup for the first time since 1986 - Jurgen led them to the last 16 of the tournament in 2014, where they lost out to Belgium.
Loved at Spurs after his magnificent 1994-95 campaign, plus crucial goals in his second spell in 1998, Jurgen, a World Cup winner with Germany in 1990, knows this tournament - and these teams - inside-out.
“Central American teams are very feisty and technically they are all very good because they grow up playing in the streets,” said Jurgen in an exclusive interview earlier this summer.
“They are very gifted technically but because of the climate there, they won’t keep the tempo at the highest pace, so when you raise the bar in terms of tempo and pace and you can see they can struggle with that in transition.
“As long as they are in the game they are very difficult to play, very difficult.
“Central American teams are always good for a surprise. Costa Rica in Brazil, no-one believed they could make it to the quarter-finals. All these teams - Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras - they are not easy to play against. They are different in style. One thing is for sure, you cannot underestimate them at all.”
England take on Panama in Group G in Nizhny Novograd on Sunday (1pm UK).
Jurgen at the World Cup...
1990 - scored once, won the World Cup with West Germany
1994 - scored five goals as Germany knocked out in the quarter-finals by Bulgaria
1998 - scored his final three international goals, Germany out in quarter-finals again
Jurgen scored 47 goals in 108 caps for Germany, he also won Euro 96 with Germany
