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Mexico's Herrera: I don't know why Klinsmann made COY shortlist

Mexico national team manager Miguel Herrera tweaked Jurgen Klinsmann, manager of the rival U.S. national team, for his inclusion on the shortlist for FIFA World Coach of the Year.
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Mexico national team manager Miguel Herrera tweaked Jurgen Klinsmann, manager of the rival U.S. national team, in an appearance on ESPN Deportes Radio on Wednesday.

Klinsmann was named Monday night as one of 10 coaches on the shortlist for FIFA World Coach of the Year.

Herrera wasn't a fan of Klinsmann's inclusion.

In his first FIFA World Cup as the U.S. manager, Klinsmann led the team out of the Group of Death at this year's tournament in Brazil before falling in the Round of 16 to Belgium. The team also won the CONCACAF Gold Cup last year under his watch.

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The Germany native has had several notable friendly road wins since taking over in 2011, winning at Bosnia-Herzegovina and Italy and becoming the first U.S. manager to defeat Mexico at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

Klinsmann was joined on the shortlist by managers such as Bayern Munich's Pep Guardiola, the German national team's Joachim Loew, the Argentinian national team's Diego Simeone and Jose Mourinho of Chelsea and the Portuguese national team. The winner of the award will be announced Jan. 12.

The outspoken Herrera has been Mexico's manager since October 2013, originally on an interim basis. He led the team to the Round of 16, where it lost 2-1 to eventual semifinalist the Netherlands after the Dutchmen scored two goals in the final seven minutes of the match.

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Mexico and the U.S. last played in a friendly last April, drawing 2-2. Mexico hasn't defeated the U.S. since the final of the 2011 Gold Cup.

Ben Estes