DUBAI: Italian Alberto Zaccheroni was Monday named coach of the United Arab Emirates football team, the Gulf state's federation announced.
"The Emirati football federation has named the Italian coach Alberto Zaccheroni to lead our national team," it said in a tweet.
According to local media reports, Zaccheroni signed a contract until 2019, the year when the UAE is scheduled to host the AFC Asian Cup, which he won with Japan in 2011.
Zaccheroni replaces Argentina's Edgardo Bauza, who was named as the UAE's head coach in May 2017, but moved on to become Saudi Arabia coach after their qualification to the 2018 World Cup.
Zaccheroni, 64, previously coached Beijing Guoan, Japan, Juventus, Torino, Inter Milan, Lazio, AC Milan and Udinese.