Confederation salutes exiting Brazil coach

Luiz Felipe Scolari has quit as Brazil's coach. Picture / AP

Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has resigned after the team failed to win the World Cup.

Scolari promised to win the tournament at home, but Brazil was eliminated in the semifinals by a disastrous 7-1 loss to eventual champion Germany that matched 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 Monday's match, saying it would be up to the confederation to decide whether he would remain at the helm of the five-time world champions.

The confederation 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 leaving.

Scolari, who led Brazil to the 2002 World Cup title, had said after Brazil's loss to the Netherlands that he would turn in a report of his work with the national team and Marin would then analyse what he would like to do.

Scolari publicly apologised to fans after the loss to Germany, saying he knows it will never be forgotten, and defended his work with Brazil since returning in late 2012. In 29 matches, he led the nation to 19 wins, six draws and four losses. AP