Giovanni Trapattoni is the new coach of Italy.

Trapattoni, the most successful coach in Serie A history, has been out of the game since leaving Fiorentina last year.

He replaces Dino Zoff as coach to the Azzurri. Zoff resigned last week after his side lost to France in the final of Euro 2000.

Trapattoni has signed a contract that will take him through the end of World Cup 2002 in Korea and Japan.

Italy's World Cup qualifiers start with a trip to Hungary on 2/3 September. Romania, Lithuania and Georgia are the other teams in a group which Italy are expected to win comfortably.

After a distinguished playing career that included winning both the scudetto and the European Cup with Milan, Trapattoni started coaching with that club, before taking Juventus to the very top of the European game.

He also won silverware with Inter Milan - including a record-breaking seventh Serie A title - and Germany's Bayern Munich.