Kyle Martino has announced he is taking a hiatus from his role on NBC's Premier League broadcasts to run for U.S. Soccer president.
The former U.S. national team midfielder, 36, announced on Monday that he will begin traveling around the country in his bid to replace Sunil Gulati atop U.S. Soccer.
"Accountability is needed. The era of blaming bad-breaks for systemic failures is over. We need a leader to hold us to a higher standard," Martino said in a series of tweets.
Martino becomes the latest high-profile name to announce his candidacy, joining former U.S. greats Eric Wynalda and Paul Caligiuri as well as Gulati's deputy at U.S. Soccer Carlos Cordeiro among others.
Gulati's position has come under fire since the U.S. men's national team shockingly failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup after losing 2-1 at Trinidad & Tobago last month.
Gulati has not confirmed if he intends to run for re-election, but has hinted that he is likely to seek a fourth term.
The federation’s election takes place on Feb. 10, with candidates required to formally submit their candidacy by Dec. 12.
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