RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Former Sao Paulo and Brazil goalkeeper Rogerio Ceni has been appointed manager of struggling Brazilian Serie A giants Cruzeiro, the club said on Sunday.

Ceni agreed to terms of a 16-month contract after Cruzeiro triggered a buyout clause in his contract as head coach of top flight rivals Fortaleza.

"[He] will arrive in Belo Horizonte on Monday afternoon and sign a contract until December 2020," read a statement on Cruzeiro's official website.

The announcement came three days after Cruzeiro sacked former Brazil national team boss Mano Menezes following a 1-0 home loss to Internacional in the first leg of their Copa do Brasil semifinal.

Ceni ended his playing career in 2015 after 1,250 matches for Sao Paulo in a career spanning 24 seasons. He was capped 16 times for Brazil's national team and was a part of the Selecao squad that won the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea.

A specialist free-kick and penalty taker, he is recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the highest-scoring keeper of all time with 131 goals.

The 46-year-old is regarded as one of Brazil's most promising coaches, having guided Fortaleza to Brazil's Serie B title last year, earning the club promotion to the top flight.

Cruzeiro are currently 17th in Brazil's 20-team Serie A standings. A 0-0 draw with Avai on Sunday extended the club's winless run across all competitions to 11 matches. Enditem

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