体坛英语新闻：Mexican Aguirre to coach Egyptian national soccer team

CAIRO, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Mexican coach Javier Aguirre will replace Argentinean Hector Cuper to take over the Egyptian national soccer team with a four-year contract.

The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) told Xinhua on Wednesday, "We have agreed about everything and it will be officially announced in a press conference on Thursday."

The deal with Aguirre came after the national team's poor performance under Cuper during the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

EFA board member and retired soccer star Magdy Abdel-Ghany pointed out that Aguirre and his assistants will be given a monthly salary of 120,000 U.S. dollars as per the contract.

"The purpose is that he leads our national team to reach at least the final of Africa Cup of Nations. Otherwise, we will revoke the contract with him," the EFA official added.

FIFA placed Egypt 31st out of 32 national teams in the 2018 World Cup won by France.

Egypt had won the biannual Africa Cup of Nations three times in a row from 2006 to 2010 under the leadership of Egyptian coach Hassan Shehata.

Aguirre has previously coached the national teams of Mexico and Japan as well as the Spanish clubs of Atletico Madrid, Espanyol and Zaragota.