Chile announces Colombian Reinaldo Rueda as new coach
SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) Chile's football association announced Colombian Reinaldo Rueda as its new coach on Monday.
Rueda's contract is valid until the end of the South American qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the association said in a statement.
Earlier, Brazilian club Flamengo informed Rueda was leaving the club and taking his staff with him.
Chile's previous coach, Juan Antonio Pizzi, left the job after failing to lead the Copa America champion to the World Cup in Russia.
Rueda was appointed by Flamengo in August, and contracted to December this year.
The Colombian coach took the giant Rio de Janeiro club to the finals of the Brazilian Cup and Copa Sudamericana.
Chilean media reported the negotiations over the national job had been going on since the beginning of December.
Chile's football association chairman Arturo Salah said Rueda ''holds a sporting trajectory of high level.''
''We hope Reinaldo Rueda achieves great objectives with La Roja, and that he brings his experience to all our teams, from the professionals to the teenagers, passing on his knowledge, style and coaching ideas to all our divisions,'' Salah said.
The 60-year-old Rueda has already coached Colombia (2004-2006), Honduras (2007-2010) and Ecuador (2010-2014).
