Argentine Jose Pekerman was confirmed as the new coach of Colombia’s national soccer team at an official unveiling in Bogota Wednesday.
The 62-year-old trainer succeeds Leonel Alvarez who was sacked in December after no more than three qualifying matches for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Alvarez had replaced Hernan Dario Gomez, who was forced to resign after hitting a woman during a Bogota bar brawl in August.
Pekerman, who led his home nation to the quarter finals of the World Cup in 2006, is now expected to stabilize Colombia’s national team and secure a qualification for Brazil.
Colombia’s next qualification match will be in Peru in June.
The Argentine last coached Mexican team Tigres in 2009.