Uruguay appoints Diego Alonso as head coach

The 46-year-old replaces Oscar Tabarez, who was sacked last month after 15 years in the job.

FILE PHOTO: Alonso has a wealth of experience at club level, having coached Penarol and Bella Vista in his native Uruguay as well as Paraguayan sides Olimpia and Guarani.

Former Inter Miami and Monterrey manager Diego Alonso has been named the new coach of Uruguay, the country's football association said on Tuesday.

The 46-year-old replaces Oscar Tabarez, who was sacked last month after 15 years in the job.

Tabarez's departure came after a string of poor results that left the two-times World Cup winner seventh in South America's qualifying group for Qatar 2022.

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The top four qualify automatically for the finals and the fifth-placed side goes into an inter-regional playoff.

Alonso has a wealth of experience at club level, having coached Penarol and Bella Vista in his native Uruguay as well as Paraguayan sides Olimpia and Guarani.

His longest coaching spell was at Mexican side Pachuca, who he led to the Mexican championship in 2016. He also won the CONCACAF Champions league with both Pachuca and Monterrey.

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The Uruguayan Football Association did not provide details about his contract but local media said Alonso had signed a deal at least until the end of the South American qualifiers.

Uruguay is only one point outside the top four, with its four final qualifiers coming at home to Venezuela and Peru, and away at Paraguay and Chile.