The Colombian Soccer Federation (Colfutbol) officially hired Leonel Alvarez as the head coach of the national team.
The seven members of the executive committee of Colfutbol finalized the decision in a meeting on Thursday.
“We have never doubted his capabilities. If he was an assistant it is because he was eligible to assume the post at any moment. It was demonstrated in the games in the United States that he knows and understands this group,” said the president of Dimayor, the organizational body of Colombian soccer.
Since coming on as the interim head coach, Alvarez has been successful in Colombia‘s first two friendlies against Honduras and Jamaica, defeating each team 2-0. Before Gomez resigned over an incident in which the former coach struck a woman in a Bogota bar, Alvarez served as assistant coach.
Before joining Colombia’s national team, Alvarez was head coach of Independiente Medellin, which under his leadership became the national champions in 2009.
Colombia’s national team will head to Bolivia on October 11 to begin the World Cup playoffs.