Former German football great Juergen Klinsmann has been named as the new coach of the U.S. national men's team.

U.S. Soccer said Friday that Klinsmann will immediately take over the American team, with his contract extending through the 2014 FIFA World Cup competition in Brazil. His first match coaching the U.S. team will be an August 10 friendly against Mexico in the eastern U.S. city of Philadelphia.

Klinsmann, who turns 47 on Saturday, was a member of the 1990 German team that won the World Cup and later coached Germany to a third-place finish in the 2006 World Cup. He scored 47 goals in international matches.

Klinsmann had been considered previously for the U.S. job, in both 2006 and 2010, when Bob Bradley was first hired, and then had his contract extended. But Bradley was fired Thursday and Klinsmann quickly hired.

U.S. Soccer chief Sunil Gulati called Klinsmann “a highly accomplished player and coach.” The new coach said he was “excited about the challenge ahead,” particularly the goal of the U.S. qualifying for the 2014 World Cup.