Former Monaco manager Lucas Pocognoli has officially taken over as head coach of Scotland, with his term lasting until 2028.

The Scottish Football Association announced on Sunday the official appointment of 39-year-old Sebastian Pocognoli as the national team manager. A two-year contract was signed, running until the end of Euro 2028.

Since stepping down as Monaco's manager in June, Pocognoli has been unemployed. He coached Monaco for only one season, during which he led the team to a record of 16 wins, 9 draws, and 13 losses in all competitions.

Besides Monaco, Pocognoli also coached Belgian powerhouse United Sanguisorbo. He led United Sanguisorbo to one Belgian First Division title and one Belgian Super Cup, and is widely regarded as an outstanding representative of Belgium's young coaching generation.

Pocognoli's appointment as Scotland's manager, succeeding Steve Clark, marks his return to professional football after a two-month hiatus. In an official interview, Pocognoli expressed his excitement about the appointment, saying, "I am deeply honored to be invited to serve as the Scotland national team manager."

“When I first learned that they were interested in inviting me, I was immediately excited about the opportunity. Scottish fans are known for their passion, as evidenced by the recent World Cup in the United States. I personally experienced this passion when I played for Belgium in 2013.”

"I will work with the coaching team to build a team that fans can be proud of, and continue to achieve success based on the foundation laid by my predecessors."

“Since the negotiations began, I have done a lot of research, raised many questions, and focused on areas where we can continue to develop. I am incredibly excited about the coaching prospects and look forward to achieving even greater success with the players.”

"The first training camp is just around the corner. We will be fully focused on preparing for the UEFA Nations League in the coming weeks and will implement the relevant plans on the training ground after we assemble next month."

Scottish Football Association Chief Executive Ian Maxwell said: "We are delighted to have Sebastian join us."

“After a comprehensive selection process, Sebastian was ultimately chosen: as an outstanding candidate, he is not only passionate about the position, but also has a clear plan for how to carry out the work in the future.”

“Sebastian has taken over a very talented team that has just qualified for the World Cup finals again after 28 years. I would also like to thank Steve Clark and his team again for their hard work and the foundation they laid for the team.”

"I can't wait to see how we build on our previous successes and achieve even better results in the next UEFA Nations League."

Image source: Internet/Monaco official website