Klinsmann rates Germany top four at minimum at World Cup, denies chance of coaching in China for now

BORDEAUX, France -- German football legend Jurgen Klinsmann, 1990 World Cup winner, Saturday said that the German team has the capability of reaching top four at minimum at the World Cup, while denying any chance of coaching the Chinese team or a Chinese club any time soon.

Klinsmann featured in the French League Cup final in Bordeaux as a special guest. The former Monaco player thought that French league has been on a totally different level now, and following Neymar's arrival at Paris Saint-Germain, the league has attracted much more awareness from the world.

Talking about Germany's prospect at the 2018 World Cup, he said, "It's always the same discussion before World Cup. You name big countries like Brazil and Argentina from South America, and have European powerhouses like Germany, Spain and France. England are also a very good team. You always have five, six or seven big names because they have all the quality to go to the end of the tournament."

"It's down to the team itself and players about if they can make it happen or not. Germany will always be in the top four at the minimum if there isn't a big, big disappointment. They have a lot of good young players similar to France.

"It will be an exciting tournament," added Klinsmann, who helped Germany win the 1996 European Championship.

Apart from Monaco, Klinsmann also played in German, Italian and English leagues. For him, adaptation is an important element for a certain player's success when playing abroad.

"I was very lucky and privileged as I was given the opportunity to play in four different leagues then," he said. "The main aspect of being successful in different countries is to adapt to the country."

"When the player goes to China, he has to adapt to Chinese culture and people. When I went to Italy, I had to adapt to the Italian style."

"It's something that you really live inside. You have to feel like, 'I want to be here', and learn about people wherever you go. Only when you adapt to the culture of the country that you play in, then you will have success. If you are not feeling to be a part of the country, then you will struggle."

"You have to try it, and I love it. The most important thing for your success in the place where you go is to adapt to that culture and mentality when you are privileged to live it. It's not easy," he pointed out.

A former head coach of Germany, Bundesliga club Bayern Munich and United States, Klinsmann shrugged off any chance of coaching in China, at least "not right now".

"Living in America and still having a young child there makes it no sense," he said. "But I admire what's going on in China. I know some players and coaches joining it. China is investing a lot of money on development of the sport, which is very important. I think there are many things to come in the future," he said.