Abel Xavier appointed new Mozambique head coach

Former Liverpool and Portugal defender Abel Xavier has been appointed as the new national team coach of Mozambique.

The 43-year-old Mozambican-born Xavier has been handed a two-year contract and will begin work on 1 February.

Brilliant! Abel Xavier, new coach of Mozambique. pic.twitter.com/iUFGjtykqu

— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) January 25, 2016

“I have followed the Mozambican team for years,” Xavier said. “I am very proud to come back to my country.”

Xavier, who was widely known for his bleach blond hair, made 20 appearances for the Portugal national team during a playing career which spanned nearly two decades.

He started his career at the Portuguese club Estrela da Amadora in 1990.

He then moved on to play for several other clubs in Europe and abroad including Benfica, PSV Eindhoven, Liverpool and Everton before finishing his career with LA Galaxy.

Mozambique are currently 109th in the FIFA World Rankings and have never qualified for a World Cup.

Xavier’s aim will be to lead the nation to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, but they are currently bottom of their qualifying group after losing their first two matches.