RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- Luiz Felipe Scolari has been appointed head coach of Cruzeiro, as the two-time Copa Libertadores champion battle to avoid relegation to Brazil's third division.
Cruzeiro said the former coach of Brazil and Portugal's national teams, who turns 72 next month, has agreed to a contract that runs until December 2022.
It will be Scolari's second spell as Cruzeiro manager, having also led the club in 2000 and 2001.
"I will do all I can to contribute with my knowledge and try to give back everything that Cruzeiro gave me," Scolari said in a video posted on Cruzeiro's social media pages late on Friday.
The announcement came after Cruzeiro sacked Ney Franco in the wake of the team's goalless draw with Oeste on Sunday, a result that left the Belo Horizonte side 19th in the 20-team Serie B standings.
The four-time Brazilian Serie A champion was relegated to the second division for the first time in its 99-year history last December.
Scolari, who won the FIFA World Cup as manager of Brazil in 2002, has been out of work since parting ways with Palmeiras in September last year.
His decorated career has included spells in charge of Guangzhou Evergrande, Chelsea, Palmeiras and Gremio, among other teams. Enditem