How To Skip Work And Watch USA vs. Germany World Cup Match

Looking for a way to duck out of work early and watch Team USA take on Germany in Thursday’s World Cup match? U.S. men’s national team head coach Jürgen Klinsmann has given fans the perfect excuse.

On Wednesday, the official U.S. Soccer Twitter account tweeted out an absence note to be used by fans who want to convince their boss to allow them to skip work Thursday. Better yet, the note bears Klinsmann’s signature. “Please excuse [insert name] from work on Thursday, June 26th,” the excuse note reads. “I understand that this absence may reduce the productivity of your workplace, but I can assure you that it is for an important cause.”

For Clint Dempsey and the rest of Team USA, the cause couldn't be more important. A draw or a victory over Germany on Thursday would allow the U.S. to advance to the World Cup’s Round of 16 for the second consecutive time.

Even if they lose, the American team can still advance, but they’ll have to rely on goal differential to do it. Even if Klinsmann’s excuse note doesn’t work on your boss, there are plenty of ways to get out of work in time for the match’s noon start. Here are a few possibilities:

Appeal to your boss’s patriotism

Just tell your supervisor that you both have a patriotic duty to support Team USA in the competitive world of international soccer. How can he or she refuse?

Invite your boss to leave work with you

Chances are that your boss wants to skip work and watch the game too. Get a group of people together and invite your supervisor to hang out at a local bar -- call it a “team-building exercise.”

Take a “lunch break”

If your “lunch hour” just happens to coincide with the first or last hour of the USA vs. Germany match, that’ll just be an added benefit.

Bring the party to work

If Klinsmann’s note doesn’t soften your boss’s heart, bring your watch party to the office. Order a few pizzas, crowd around the TV in the break room, and watch the action while you work.