TWO-TIME WORLD Cup-winning head coach Jill Ellis is set to step down from her role with the USWNT after five years in charge.

The 52-year-old guided her side to eight tournament victories during her tenure, historically lifting back-to-back World Cups in Vancouver in 2015 and more recently Lyon earlier this month.

The change will come into effect following the completion of the team’s ‘victory tour’ in early October.

“The opportunity to coach this team and work with these amazing women has been the honor of a lifetime,” Ellis said in a statement on Tuesday.

I want to thank and praise them for their commitment and passion to not only win championships but also raise the profile of this sport globally while being an inspiration to those who will follow them.

“I want to sincerely thank the world class coaches and staff with whom I’ve had the privilege to work – they are quintessential professionals and even better people.

“And finally, I want to thank the Federation for their support and investment in this program, as well as all the former players, coaches, and colleagues that have played an important role in this journey.”

Ellis will take up the role of US Soccer ambassador for at least a year following her departure.

Having won 102 of her 127 games in charge, she leaves having become the first head coach to win two Women’s World Cups.

The timing is right to move on and the program is positioned to remain at the pinnacle of women’s soccer.

“Change is something I have always embraced in my life and for me and my family this is the right moment.”

Among the other major achievements during her time in charge, she helped the US to two SheBelieves Cup triumphs (2016 & 2018) and the 2018 Concacaf Women’s Championship.

At the end of 2015, Ellis was named the FIFA World Coach of the Year and Concacaf Coach of the Year for Women’s Soccer.