Former German assistant coach Holger Osieck is named Australia's new soccer team coach.

Football Federation Australia announced on Wednesday that Osieck would lead the Socceroos for the next four years.

Osieck, assistant to Franz Beckenbauer when Germany won the World Cup in 1990, led Canada to the Gold Cup in 2000.

His appointment breaks a five-year spell of Dutch coaching under Guus Hiddink and then Pim Verbeek.