Israeli soccer manager Avram Grant was appointed coach of the Zambia national team, the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) announced Thursday morning.
The Zambian national team, nicknamed Chipolopolo or copper bullets, ranked 88th in the world in the latest FIFA Men's Ranking. It won the Africa Cup of Nations once in 2012 but has failed to qualify for the continental tournament since 2015.
Chipolopolo's Emmanuel Mayuka, who played for Maccabi Tel Aviv between 2008-2010, was the top scorer in that famous 2012 tournament.
Zambia never qualified for the World Cup.
Chipolopolo visited Israel last month for a friendly match, losing 4:2 to the hosts.
Zambia midfielder Lameck Banda spent two loan spells in Maccabi Petah Tikvah and another in Maccabi Netanya before signing for Italian Serie A club Lecce where he is currently playing.
Grant is best known for leading English side Chelsea to the 2007/08 UEFA Champions League final, narrowly missing out on European soccer's most coveted honor to Alex Ferguson's Manchester United on penalties.
The 67-year-old's top goal is to qualify with Chipolopolo for the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations.
In 2015, he guided the Black Stars of Ghana to a final appearance in the continental competition but lost on penalties to Ivory Coast.
His international career also includes coaching sides such as the English Premier League's West Ham United and Portsmouth, as well as Serbian outfit Partizan Belgrade.
Domestically, Grant managed some of Israel's top teams, including Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv, before going on to head the Israeli national team.