Germany parted ways with coach Hansi Flick on Sunday, a day after their 4-1 home loss to Japan in their friendly international with the four-time champions struggling for form ahead of the Euro 2024 tournament next year on home soil, the German Football Association said.

Flick took over in 2021 but his team have managed just four wins in their last 17 internationals, and they were also eliminated in the first round of the 2022 World Cup.

He becomes the first Germany boss to be sacked since the role was created in 1926.

Germany have lost four of their past five games. Flick replaced Joachim Loew in August 2021.

Rudi Voeller, who managed the team from 2000 to 2004, takes temporary charge for Tuesday's friendly with France.

The 63-year-old Voller, a former Germany striker, was appointed director of the German national side in February. He will be assisted by Hannes Wolf and Sandro Wagner.

Germany host the men's European Championship next year but have been in disarray.

German FA president Bernd Neuendorf said: "The committee agreed that the German national team needs a fresh impetus after the recent disappointing results.

"Going into the European Championship next summer, we need confidence and optimism in the country regarding our team.

"This has been one of the most difficult decisions I have had to make during my time in this role because I really respect Hansi Flick and his assistants, both on a professional and personal level.

"Sporting success is of the upmost importance to the DFB, which is why this decision had to be made."

Flick, 58, had been Loew's assistant manager with Germany from 2006 to 2014.

His time in charge began with eight successive wins, but their form progressively got worse and Germany exited last year's World Cup at the group stage.

Oman, Costa Rica and Peru are the only teams Germany have beaten in the past 12 months.

Such a disappointing performance came as a surprise considering Flick won 70 of his 86 games in charge of Bayern Munich from November 2019 to June 2021.

Under Flick, Bayern won a treble of the domestic league and cup and Champions League titles in the 2019-20 season.

After the Japan defeat, Flick said he was "brutally disappointed" but thought he remained the "right manager" for Germany.

However he ominously added: "Things can change in professional football and I can't see what's to come."

Written with inputs from Reuters