RIO DE JANEIRO - Not celebrating a goal against your former team has become something of a fashion in European club football, but United States midfielder Jones says he will also follow that trend if he scores against his country of birth, Germany.
The United States and Germany have been drawn together in Group G and will meet on June 26 in Recife.
"If I score against Germany, I will not celebrate. I think it's in respect. I grew up in this country (Germany) and it gave me a lot," he said on Thursday.
"I had my first caps for the national team in Germany... so I will not celebrate if I score. If somebody else scores, they can celebrate," he added.
Jones is one of five German-Americans in the squad along with defenders Timothy Chandler, Fabian Johnson and John Brooks and winger Julian Green.
The 32-year-old, who plays for Besiktas in Turkey, said there had been no problem integrating the quintet into the squad and suggested that any different treatment came from the media.
"In the group, it's not a problem. Sometimes you can feel it from outside. The 100 percent American guys get more focus than the German-Americans, but we know how to handle that and sometimes it's funny. It's no problem for us," he said.
Klinsmann's squad also features former Iceland Under-21 striker Aron Johannsson and Oslo-born midfielder Mix Diskerud but Jones said there was no issue about having so many players who have grown up outside of the United States.
"I don't think it's important if it's five German-Americans or only two German-Americans. We are part of the group and we have a good group and everything is good. Everybody's happy to play this World Cup.
"It's not a big deal if you are German-American or Icelandic-American or Norwegian-American. You are American and you try to do your best on the field," he said.
The U.S. kick off their campaign against Ghana on Monday.
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