Dunga will be Brazil's new head coach, replacing Carlos Alberto Parreira who resigned following the World Cup Germany 2006. - Reuters
RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters)
Former Brazil midfielder and captain Dunga was surprisingly named as the country's new national team coach yesterday.
The 42-year-old, with no previous coaching experience, replaced Carlos Alberto Parreira, who resigned last Wednesday following Brazil's disappointing performance at the World Cup.
The five-times champions were surprisingly knocked out in the quarter-finals by France after beginning the tournament in Germany as hot favourites.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said on its official website that Dunga agreed to terms after a two-hour meeting with its president Ricardo Teixeira. The CBF did not say how long Dunga would be in charge but he said his appointment was part of a restructuring of the national team set-up that had the 2010 and 2014 World Cups as targets.
The midfielder, famous for his fighting spirit, captained the Brazil team that won the 1994 World Cup and wore the armband again four years later when they were runners-up to France.
He was also in the 1990 team.
"I want to bring the same determination I had as a player," Dunga told the CBF's website. "Motivation and will to win are fundamental for anyone who wants to wear the shirt of the Brazilian national team."
NORWAY FRIENDLY
Dunga's first game in charge will be a friendly against Norway in Oslo on August 16. Brazil are not due to play any competitive games until next year's Copa America in Venezuela.
Dunga faces a tough rebuilding job and one of his first decisions will be the international future of forward Ronaldo, who looked out of sorts at the
World Cup.
