Scolari's resignation confirmed by CBF

Jul 14, 2014 - 11:05 PM Luiz Felipe Scolari has resigned as Brazil's coach after the team's failure to win the World Cup, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) confirmed.

Scolari had promised to win the home tournament, but Brazil was eliminated in the semi-finals after a horror 7-1 semi-final loss to Germany - the national team's worst defeat in its 100-year history. Brazil also lost 3-0 to the Netherlands in the third-place match.

Scolari's contract ended after the World Cup and he handed over the command of the team after Saturday's (Sunday AEST) match, saying it would be up to the CBF to decide whether he would remain at the helm of the five-time world champions.

In a statement, the CBF said president Jose Maria Marin accepted what it called "Scolari's resignation."

"Scolari and his staff deserve our respect and our gratitude," the statement said. "They were responsible for making the Brazilian people regain their love for the Selecao even though we did not reach our greater goal (of winning the title)."

Scolari's replacement was not immediately announced. Assistant Carlos Alberto Parreira, the coach who led Brazil to the 1994 World Cup title, was also departing.

The CBF said Marin would give further explanations in a news conference on Thursday.

Scolari, who led Brazil to the 2002 World Cup title, apologised to fans after the loss to Germany, saying he knows it will never be forgotten. In 29 matches, he led the nation to 19 wins, six draws and four losses. Brazil won last year's Confederations Cup, the World Cup warm-up tournament, under his command.

"I don't think you can analyse the entire work based on only one disastrous result," Scolari said after Brazil's loss to the Dutch. "I think the job was well done."

The once-popular coach was loudly booed by fans after Brazil's exited the World Cup on Saturday (Sunday AEST). Despite high expectations, the football powerhouse struggled throughout the competition, finishing with three wins, two draws and two losses and conceding 14 goals.

Scolari had been betting on Neymar to carry Brazil to the title, but the star striker was ruled out due to a back injury in the quarter-finals against Colombia.

Brazil's next official tournament is the 2015 Copa America. The team is expected to play four friendlies this year, the first one against Colombia on September 5 in Miami. It will also play Ecuador on September 8 in New York, Argentina on October 11 in Beijing and Turkey on November 12 in Istanbul.

Source: AAP