MANAGUA, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Argentine manager Juan Cruz has been appointed head coach of the Nicaragua national team, the Central American country's football federation said on Friday.
The 49-year-old replaces Chilean Marco Figueroa, who departed last November after the team's failure to reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
"We welcome Juan Cruz as the new head coach of our senior men's national team," the federation said in a statement on social media.
"A new chapter begins with him leading the team, with the aim of continuing to strengthen the work and competitiveness on the pitch."
It will be Cruz's first time in charge of a senior national team. His managerial career has included spells in charge of Argentina's Belgrano and Colombian teams America de Cali and Junior Barranquilla, among other clubs.
Nicaragua has never qualified for the World Cup and is currently 131st in the FIFA world rankings. ■
