Dunga sacked by Brazil after World Cup exit

SAO PAULO // The Brazil coach Dunga and his entire coaching staff have been sacked after the team's quarter-final defeat at the World Cup. The Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) released a statement yesterday confirming the dismissals. "With the closing of the work cycle that started in August 2006 and ended with the elimination of Brazil from the World Cup in South Africa, the CBF announces the dismissal of the Technical Commission of the Brazilian team," the statement read. Dunga, 46, had already indicated after his team's surprise 2-1 quarter-final loss to Holland that he would be stepping down after four years in the job.

Dunga replaced Carlos Alberto Parreira in July 2006, immediately after the last World Cup. A hard-tackling midfielder in his playing days, Dunga captained the Brazil team that won the 1994 World Cup and finished runners-up four years later, but was a surprise choice as coach, having had no previous coaching experience. Despite that, he led Brazil to the Copa America in 2007, the Confederations Cup in 2009 and top of the South American World Cup qualifying group before it all came crashing down with the loss to the Dutch in Port Elizabeth.

The CBF said in their statement that a new coach would be installed by the end of the month. Brazil are due to play the United States at the new Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey in August and have a busy schedule over the next few years, including hosting the Confederations Cup in 2013 and the World Cup in 2014. * Reuters