Scolari named coach of Guangzhou Evergrande

Then Brazilian national football team coach Luiz Felipe Scolari holds a press conference to announce the national squad for Confederations Cup at Sofitel Hotel in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in this May 14, 2013 file photo. [Photo/CFP]

Luiz Felipe Scolari, Brazil's 2002 football World Cup-winning manager, is the new head of defending Chinese Super League champion Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao, the club said on Thursday.

The announcement came after young Italian Fabio Cannavaro-led Guangzhou finished in a 2-2 tie with Tianjin Teda in a domestic league match on Thursday evening.

Thought Scolari, 67, led Brazil to the top of the sport in 2002, he suffered defeat in last year's World Cup in Brazil, where his team lost 7-1 to Germany in the semi-final.

Former head coach Fabio Cannavaro of China's Guangzhou Evergrande smiles as he watches his team competing against Japan's Kashima Antlers during their 2015 AFC Champions League Group H third round match in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong province, in this March 18, 2015 file photo. [Photo/IC]

Cannavaro, 42, took over the coaching position last year after the Guangzhou-based club claimed its fourth domestic league championship under management of former Italian World Cup winning coach Marcello Lippi.

Scolari signed a two-and-a-half year deal with the Chinese Super League champions just two weeks after quitting as manager of Brazil's Gremio.

The club did not explain in its announcement why Cannavaro was stepping down, but stressed that winning more domestic and Asian games is the its main pursuit.

"According to the club' s strategic development needs, it was decided to appoint Mr Scolari as coach," Guangzhou said.

"The club once again expresses its heartfelt thanks to the hard work of Mr Cannavaro."

Guangzhou, winners of the past four Chinese Super League titles, currently have four Brazilians in their squad: Rene Junior, Alan, Elkeson and Ricardo Goulart.

It is understood Scolari will be joined by his long-time assistant coach Flavio Murtosa.

Under Cannavaro's management, Guangzhou ranked second in the Chinese league after 13 rounds of games and entered the quarter-final of the AFC Champions League.

qiuquanlin@chinadaily.com.cn

Xinhua contributed to this story