Former Italian World Cup winner Marco Tardelli has been fired as coach of Egypt after their surprise defeat in Libya last week, the country's football association announced on Monday.
Tardelli, 50, had been in charge since May, specifically appointed to lead the country's bid to qualify for the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany. Egypt's surprise loss to Libya left the country in fourth place in Group Three, five points behind leader Conte d'Ivoire and with just two wins from their opening five matches.
Tardelli was in charge for seven matches, winning four, but was fired after a meeting of the Egyptian Football Association in Cairo on Sunday. The firing was announced on Monday just hours after Tardelli had told reporters he was determined to see out his contract until after the 2006 African Nations Cup finals, which Egypt will host.
Tardelli was a member of Italian World Cup winning side in 1982 and won 80 caps for his country.