Former Boca Juniors manager Gustavo Alfaro has been named head coach of Ecuador, the South American country's football federation said on Wednesday.

The 58-year-old Argentine replaces Jordi Cruyff, who quit in July after just six months in the role and without having led the team in an official match.

"It's with great pride and pleasure that I accept this beautiful challenge," Alfaro told a virtual news conference.

"I've always had a strong ambition to manage a national team and Ecuador is a team that I've observed closely for a long time."

Alfaro has been out of work since stepping down as Boca Juniors boss last December. His managerial career has spanned almost three decades and has included spells in charge of 12 different clubs in Argentina's top two divisions.

According to media reports, the Ecuadorian federation also considered Uruguayans Guillermo Almada and Pablo Repetto; Ecuadorian Alex Aguinaga; and Argentines Hector Cuper, Matias Almeyda and Jorge Celico for the role.

"We looked at a number of candidates but we wanted the selection process to be conducted responsibly, without speculation in the press," federation president Francisco Egas said.

"We finalized negotiations yesterday and all of the necessary documents have been signed."

Alfaro's first match at the helm will be against Argentina in Buenos Aires in October -- the teams' opening qualifier for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. 

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