Mozambique have named Luis Goncalves as their new coach some three weeks before they begin their bid to qualify for the next World Cup in Qatar.

Goncalves, 47, is the third man in the job in just over a month, after Abel Xavier and his replacement Victor Matine, who was in the post for just 30 days.

Goncalves is a former assistant of Abel Xavier, whose contract ended in July and was not renewed.

He served under the former Portugal full back from January 2016 to May 2018 before the two fell out and Goncalves was left off the technical staff for the 2018 COSAFA Cup in Polokwane.

He then went to China to train their national Under-16 side.

Goncalves told a weekend press conference that his ambition was to try and qualify Mozambique for the World Cup, as well as the next Africa Cup of Nations in 2021.

Mozambique have been drawn against fellow COSAFA member Mauritius in the preliminary round of the World Cup qualifiers next month.

The Mambas begin their Cup of Nations qualifying campaign in November and have been drawn in Group F with hosts Cameroon, the Cape Verde Islands and Rwanda.

This is his first senior role after years of coaching junior, including time at the Alcochet Academy at Sporting Lisbon, where Cristiano Ronaldo first emerged.

Goncalves was also a junior coach at FC Porto, Belenenses, Estoril and Tondela.