The Chinese Football Association (CFA) named former international striker Gao Hongbo yesterday as the new coach of the national men's soccer team.

Gao, 43, became the youngest man to take the helm in 30 years and is the seventh coach since 2000, when Serbian Bora Milutinovic took over and later led the team into the historic first World Cup finals in 2002.

Gao was grilled in a closed camp for three days by senior officials in February with three other candidates: temporary caretaker Yin Tiesheng, under-23 team boss Shen Xiangfu and former Shanghai coach Wu Jingui.