Jonathan Klinsmann, the son of former Germany striker and United States head coach Jürgen Klinsmann, is recovering from a broken neck sustained while playing for Italian second-tier side Cesena on Saturday. The 29-year-old goalkeeper was stretchered off in a neck brace after a collision with a Palermo player and taken to a hospital in the Sicilian capital.
Cesena confirmed in a statement that initial tests revealed a fracture to the first cervical vertebra and a cut to the back of his head. The club added that he is due to undergo further tests with a specialist neurosurgeon.
Writing on Instagram, Klinsmann said his season was over and thanked Cesena and Palermo fans for their warm wishes, as well as friends and family who had supported him in recent days.
Born in Munich while his father was playing for Bayern, Klinsmann had a brief spell with the Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer and represented the United States at youth level. He was called into the senior US camp for friendlies in September 2025 but did not feature in either match, a 2-0 loss to South Korea and a 2-0 win over Japan. He was considered a long shot to make the US squad for the 2026 World Cup.
Klinsmann joined Cesena, based in the Emilia-Romagna region, two years ago and has made more than 50 appearances for the Serie B club, which is coached by former Arsenal, Chelsea and England defender Ashley Cole.
