29 July 2011 - The USSF's Five-Year Plan Comes To Fruition

On 29 July 2011, the United States Soccer Federation announced the hiring of Jürgen Klinsmann as the national team's new manager.

Although a successful player with Germany, Inter, Bayern Munich, Klinsmann had served as a manager only twice before, and for brief spells. He guided the German national team to a third-place finish in the 2006 World Cup, but left that summer after only two years at the helm. He then took charge of Bayern Munich in July 2008, but left the following April after a disappointing spell.

Despite his lack of experience, the USSF had been keen to hire Klinsmann since 2006, reportedly offering him the job twice before, only to have negotiations break down when the federation would not agree to give him the broad degree of control he demanded. But after their dismissal of Bob Bradley in July 2011, they finally reached terms with Klinsmann.

His tenure started poorly, with the team losing four of their first six matches, but the situation improved by 2012, when the US enjoyed a run of success including their first-ever away win over rivals Mexico. The team continues to shine under Klinsmann, having just won the 2013 Gold Cup on the back of a team-record eleven-game winning streak.

17 June 1994 - To Be Fair, I Always Pictured Her As A Defender

On 17 June 1994, Diana Ross opened the World Cup with one of the worst penalty kicks ever.

To celebrate hosting their first World Cup, the United States brought in a host of celebrities, including Oprah Winfrey, Daryl Hall, Jon Secada, and Ross for the opening ceremonies at Chicago's Soldier Field before a match between Germany and Bolivia. The day got off to an inauspicious start when Winfrey fell on stage after introducing Ross, but the former Supreme managed to outdo that flub.

After her introduction, Ross performed her hit single "I'm Coming Out" while jogging across the field. Just before taking the stage, she was supposed to score a penalty kick against a waiting goalkeeper, then the goalposts would split apart, allowing her to run through the goal and onto the stage.But when she got to the spot, she sent her kick wide to the left. The posts split as scheduled and she ran up to the stage under a chorus of boos from the crowd of over 63,000.

The crowd was rewarded with a close game, though, as Germany edged Bolivia 1-0 with a 61st-minute goal from Jürgen Klinsmann.

11 January 2008 - Yeah, It's All Smiles Now, But Just Wait

On 11 January 2008, Bayern Munich announced that Jürgen Klinsmann would replace outgoing manager Ottmar Hitzfeld at the end of the season, but it was a match that didn't last.

Klinsmann, who played briefly for Bayern during a career that also included stops at Stuttgart, Inter, Monaco, and Tottenham, had held only one prior managerial post, but it was an impressive one. Guiding the German national team from 2004 to 2006, he retooled the administration of the entire organization, from the youth team up. But after taking the senior side to the World Cup semifinals in 2006, he stepped down, citing his intention to rest and spend more time with his family.

But in 2008, Bayern lured him from retirement, announcing in January that he was going to take the team over in July, replacing Hitzfeld (who went on to win the league title--his fifth with Bayern--that year, as well as his third German Cup).

Klinsmann proceeded to restructure the club as he had done with Germany, starting with a new player development center. But toward the end of his first season, his relationship with the board of directors had soured. Even though Bayern had reached the semifinals of the Champions League and were sitting three points out of first in the Bundesliga with five games still to play, the board sacked Klinsmann.

After another two-year break, Klinsmann returned to football as manager of the United States.