Klinsmann signs 4-year extension with U.S. Soccer, also becomes technical director

U.S. manager Jurgen Klinsmann signed a four-year extension through 2018. (Rick Bowmer/AP)

The U.S. Soccer Federation on Thursday made a massive commitment to national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann, extending his contract by four years through the 2018 World Cup and making him technical director, with oversight of the country’s youth national teams and player development.

Hired in the summer of 2011, Klinsmann was earning an annual base salary of $2.5 million. The terms of his new contract weren’t disclosed. The U.S. has gone 27-10-7 under Klinsmann and enjoyed a fantastic 2013 campaign, during which the Americans finished first in the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying tournament and the Gold Cup (the regional championship).

“One of the reasons we hired Jurgen as our head coach was to advance the program forward and we’ve seen the initial stages of that happening on the field and also off the field in various areas,” U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati said. “In the past two years he has built a strong foundation from the senior team down to the youth teams and we want to continue to build upon that success.”

Klinsmann, 49, told SI.com’s Grant Wahl in October that he was interested in continuing his work beyond next summer’s World Cup in Brazil. But rumors persisted that Klinsmann would consider staying only if he was offered a new deal before the tournament. He now has that commitment.