GENEVA (AFP) - Bayern Munich boss Ottmar Hitzfeld will take over as coach of the Swiss national football team on July 1, Swiss news agency SI reported on Tuesday.

Hitzfeld has signed a two-year deal to take over from Kobi Kuhn after this June's Euro 2008 tournament which Switzerland is co-hosting with Austria.

Hitzfeld's move was paved in January when it was announced Jurgen Klinsmann would succeed him as Bayern coach.

The German is no stranger to Swiss football having spent nine seasons there as a player in the 1970s and 1980s, and having started his coaching career with FC Zug before leading FC Aarau to the Swiss Cup in 1985 and winning two championships with Grasshopper Zurich between 1988 to 1991.

Hitzfeld has twice won the Champions League with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.