Joachim Loew, manager of the German national football team, will leave his position after the UEFA European Football Championship between June and July, announced the German Football Association (DFB) on Tuesday.

"Joachim Loew will vacate his position as the Bundestrainer after the 2021 European Championship," said a statement on the DFB website. 

"The Bundestrainer asked to cancel his contract, valid until 2022, immediately after the tournament. The DFB has agreed to it."

Loew took over as manager in 2006 from Jürgen Klinsmann, who Loew had worked for two years as assistant. Germany won 120 and lost 31 of the 189 games under him. The biggest victories include the 7-1 win over Brazil and the 1-0 win over Argentina in the FIFA World Cup in 2014, while epic losses include the 1-0 loss to Mexico and 2-0 loss to South Korea in the 2018 World Cup.

"I take this step very consciously, full of pride and enormous gratitude, but at the same time continue to be very motivated when it comes to the upcoming European Championship tournament," said Loew. 

"Proud, because it is something very special and an honor for me to be involved in my country. And because I have been able to work with the best footballers in the country for almost 17 years and support them in their development."

"I have great triumphs with them and painful defeats, but above all many wonderful and magical moments – not just winning the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. I am and will remain grateful to the DFB, which has always provided me and the team with an ideal working environment."

Many could not wait to see Loew fired after Germany's humiliating elimination during the group stage in 2018's World Cup but the DFB chose to believe in him. The 6-0 loss against Spain in the UEFA Nations League last November did not change their mind, but probably changed Loew's decision of removing Thomas Muller, Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels from the national squad. The 61-year-old recently hinted that he's considering a U-turn that would bring the three veterans back.

Germany are in Group F with France, Hungary and Portugal in the European Championship. Portugal are the defending champions of the tournament and France won the World Cup title in 2018. Loew's last chapter as Germany's manager won't be a picnic at all. 

Fritz Keller, president of the DFB, said the announcement made it possible "to announce his successor with the requisite time, with calmness and with sound judgement."

Liverpool's manager Jurgen Klopp and Bayern Munich's boss Hansi Flick are two of the most likely successors to Loew. 1990 World Cup champion member Lothar Matthaus and Germany's current U21 manager Stefan Kuntz are hopefuls as well.