Hanoi (Vietnam), Feb 27 (IANS): Former Japan coach Philippe Troussier has been appointed as the new head coach of Vietnam, the country's football association said on Monday.

Troussier has penned a deal until July 2026, and will take charge of both the senior national team and the U23 team, the Vietnam Football Federation said at a ceremony in Hanoi to welcome Troussier.

The Frenchman will lead Vietnam as the country attempts to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where the number of participating teams will jump from 32 to 48, a Xinhua report said.

"I have been given the opportunity to return to the country that I loved dearly during my previous three-year stint," said Troussier, who acted as strategic adviser and then technical director at the Promotion Fund of Vietnamese Football Talent Academy, and managed Vietnam's U19 team from 2019 to 2021.

"I will not have to start from zero thanks to my predecessor, Park Hang-seo, who leaves behind a great legacy," he added, referring to the South Korean coach's five-year spell in charge of Vietnam.

Besides helping the country in its pursuit of a first World Cup finals, the Frenchman is also tasked with helping Vietnam defend the Southeast Asian Games gold medal this year, and winning next year's ASEAN Football Federation Cup.

Troussier's international career peaked when he guided Japan to the round of 16 on home soil at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. In 2020, the Asian Football Confederation named him one of the greatest coaches in Asian Cup history.