Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Luiz Felipe Scolari was named coach of Brazil on Thursday, as he returns to the position he held a decade ago when he guided his native country to its fifth World Cup title.
The 64-year-old Scolari took over Brazil in 2001 when it was struggling during qualifying for the 2002 World Cup, and helped the country qualify and win its most recent title.
Now, he will try to guide Brazil to a title on home soil. Brazil hosts the Cup in 2014.
"I'm not feeling under pressure, but very happy," Scolari said. "I was under pressure the first time, when we were in danger of not going to the World Cup. The players are those who always have pressure over them; I don't."
Scolari replaces Mano Menezes, who was fired Friday.
After leaving Brazil in 2002, Scolari led Portugal to the 2004 and 2008 Euros, and to the semifinals of the 2006 World Cup. He later coached Chelsea and most recently was at Palmeiras in Brazil.
Carlos Alberto Parreira, who guided Brazil to the World Cup title in 1994, has been named part of the new staff as technical co-coordinator.
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