Jurgen Klinsmann has said he will only return to international management to take over a country capable of reaching the World Cup semifinals.

Klinsmann has been out of work since he was sacked as United States coach during their doomed World Cup qualifying campaign. He had been under contract through the 2018 World Cup, but the U.S. lost 2-1 to Mexico and then 4-0 away to Costa Rica in November 2016. The results left the U.S. at the bottom of the six-team regional CONCACAF group with eight games to play and Klinsmann was subsequently axed.

The 54-year-old watched the World Cup in Russia as the United States missed out on the tournament and has said he will not rush into returning to international management.

"Ahead of the World Cup in Russia, I had four, five enquiries from teams playing there," Klinsmann told Sport Bild.

"But I turned them down because their goal was to survive the group stages. I had this goal with the U.S. [at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil]. It's not enough for me now.

"If [I return], I want to lead an association of a certain calibre and with the goal to reach the last four at a World Cup.

"But if such a situation does not come to pass in the foreseeable future, I wouldn't mind it for family reasons. My daughter Laila still attends school. And when she attends university next year, the situation changes."

Jurgen Klinsmann has not managed since he was sacked by the United States in November 2016. Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

The World Cup will return to the United States for the second time after hosting it in 1994, and Klinsmann praised the successful joint U.S., Mexico and Canada bid for the 2026 tournament.

"America will be an incredible host. The United States is a country with an unbelievable hospitality," Klinsmann said.

"It will be a spectacle."

Bruce Arena replaced Klinsmann as United States coach but resigned after failing to secure qualification for the World Cup in Russia.

Dave Sarachan remains in interim charge of the USMNT and general manager Earnie Stewart has said appointing a full time coach will be a "process over speed."