Jürgen Klinsmann fired as US men's national soccer coach

Former Germany player and coach Jürgen Klinsmann has lost his job as head coach of the US men's national soccer team after losing two 2018 World Cup qualifying matches, to Mexico and Costa Rica, respectively.

Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati announced Monday that Klinsmann had been "relieved of his duties" as coach and technical director for US Soccer without naming a replacement. Gulati is to hold a media teleconference call Tuesday for more details. The US won't face another World Cup qualifier until March 2017.

"While we remain confident that we have quality players to help us advance to Russia 2018, the form and growth of the team up to this point left us convinced that we need to go in a different direction," Gulati said.

"We want to thank Jürgen for his hard work and commitment during these last five years," Gulati added.

"He took pride in having the responsibility of steering the program and there were considerable achievements along the way."

Klinsmann, who had won the World Cup as a player with Germany in 1990, was in charge of the US team since 2011.

The rise and fall of Klinsmann

Klinsmann had guided the Americans on a team record 12-match winning streak in 2013. His 16 triumphs and .761 win percentage that year set US calendar-year records, with the team winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

But the team was knocked out in last year's Gold Cup semifinals and lost to Mexico in a playoff for a 2017 Confederations Cup place. The US team reached the last 16 of the World Cup in Brazil in 2014.

The 52-year-old has changed lineups and formations in a bid to turn the US team's luck, dismissing calls saying his moves hurt the squad.

Big soccer shoes to fill

Bruce Arena, a five-time Major League Soccer champion coach presently with Los Angeles Galaxy, is thought to be a chief candidate to replace Jürgen Klinsmann.

The 65-year-old American had coached the US team to the 2002 World Cup quarter-finals and guided a 2006 US lineup that exited in the group stages.

jm,ss/kl,bw (dpa/AP/ AFP)