Klinsmann became the fifth player to receive the distinction after Fritz Walter, Uwe Seeler, Franz Beckenbauer and Lothar Matthaus.

ERFURT, Germany (AP) — Jurgen Klinsmann, who won the World Cup with Germany in 1990 and is now coaching the United States, has been named an honorary captain of the German national team. Klinsmann became the fifth player to receive the distinction after Fritz Walter, Uwe Seeler, Franz Beckenbauer and Lothar Matthaus.

Klinsmann won the World Cup with Beckenbauer as coach and later became Germany's captain, winning the 1996 European Championship. He played in 108 matches, with 36 as its captain, and coached host Germany to third place in the 2006 World Cup.

Receiving the honor at a ceremony that featured German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Klinsmann said the national team was "always something special" with "unforgettable moments, encounters and friendships."

Federation president Reinhard Grindel said Klinsmann had always taken "unconventional paths" to give German football "important impulses."