Jurgen Klinsmann was never anywhere close to losing his job, but the USMNT’s performance in this Copa America Centenario has solidified his position and made it clear: He will be the head coach of the U.S. team through the 2018 World Cup.

This is true no matter what happens against Argentina tonight. Win or lose, the U.S. has outperformed most fans’ expectations for this tournament, and reached the semifinals — which Klinsmann himself laid out as the goal for the team before the tournament began.

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The USMNT’s performances at this tournament have shown how good this team can be when a core unit is established and allowed to develop chemistry. Gone were the seemingly random “experiments” that fans of the team had grown to expect from Klinsmann. A core lineup was crafted, a defensive four allowed to gel together and learn to play. After an early hiccup against Colombia, the team busted out a string of results against strong competition and earned their way to a semifinal match against Lionel Messi and Argentina.

By creating a core lineup, the team was able to make adjustments when changes had to be made. The surprise introduction of Matt Besler at left back in the quarterfinal match — a move made necessary by the suspension of DeAndre Yedlin — was successful because everyone else on the field was comfortable enough to cover for him.

Alejandro Bedoya said as much in a piece in The Players’ Tribune:

Against Ecuador, when Matt Besler came in as left back, I switched over to the same side to help him out. I think he was a little nervous, it was a big game, but I just kept telling him, “Don’t worry, don’t worry. I’ve always got your back. I’ve always got your cover.”

I’m going to be there to help out. And John Brooks is going to shift over. And Michael Bradley is going to come over, too. And we know the younger guys are going to step up when Jermaine Jones, Bobby Wood and myself are sitting out against Argentina because of red- and yellow-card suspensions.

Bedoya had that confidence because he knew that position was his. He knew he was a core member of this team, this squad, and had the confidence that came with it. So did everyone else.

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Before the tournament I wrote that Jurgen Klinsmann has been torn between his two roles as national team coach and technical director of U.S. Soccer. A coach looks for stability, results. A technical director must push the game forward, challenge young players, see the forest instead of the trees.

With this tournament, Klinsmann has finally put away the technical director hat and focused on winning with the team he has. He crafted a lineup and stuck with it, and the players rewarded him for it. The team’s performance has secured his job through the next World Cup.