The Greek Football Association has hired Fernando Santos as the new national-team coach.

The 55-year-old Portuguese coach replaces Otto Rehhagel, who resigned after Greece's group-stage elimination from the World Cup in South Africa. The Greek FA said Thursday that Santos will be formally appointed on Friday.

Santos has been the coach of PAOK Thessaloniki for the past three years, guiding the northern Greek team into next season's Champions League qualifying rounds.

Rehhagel, who turns 72 in August, led Greece to a surprise title at the 2004 European Championship but the team failed to progress beyond the first round at Euro 2008 or at this summer's World Cup.

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