Carlos Queiroz has been appointed Egypt coach, two days after Hossam el-Badry was fired due to the African nation’s unimpressive start to World Cup qualifying.

The Egypt Football Association said Queiroz would arrive in Cairo next week to take up his post.

The former Portugal and Real Madrid coach, who has worked in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America, was most recently in charge of the Colombia national team.

He wrote on Twitter: “It is with pride, gratitude, and ambition that I accept the honorable invitation from the Egyptian FA to be the national team coach.”

Egypt are record seven-time African champions but have struggled to maintain their status as the continent’s most successful team.

The last of their African Cup titles came in 2010.

El-Badry was fired after Egypt scraped a 1-0 home win over Angola and needed a late equaliser for a 1-1 draw in Gabon in their first two World Cup qualifiers this month.

That left Egypt second behind Libya in their qualifying group and in danger of missing the World Cup next year in Qatar.

Egypt’s next two games are against Libya in October.