Brazil coach leaves Rivaldo out of squad

Mario Zagallo, the temporary Brazil coach, included Ronaldo but left Rivaldo out of the national squad yesterday for a friendly against South Korea in Seoul on 20 November.

The likely explanation for the surprise exclusion of the Milan striker is that Zagallo is allowing him time to settle down in Italy's Serie A with his new club following his summer move from Barcelona.

However, the pair had a much publicised falling-out in 1996, when Zagallo accused Rivaldo of giving away the game as Brazil lost to Nigeria at the Olympic Games in Atlanta. Zagallo has called up 19 Europe-based players for the friendly and only 12 of the 23-man squad that won the World Cup. Edilson was another surprise absentee, while Juninho is injured and unavailable. Zagallo is in temporary charge as the Brazilian FA has yet to name a full-time replacement for Luiz Felipe Scolari.

Cesar Luis Menotti, the coach who led Argentina to their first World Cup victory in 1978, has been fired by Rosario Central after a poor run of results in the Argentinian championship. Menotti left after five months and 26 games in charge, with Central, where he began his career as a player 40 years ago, in danger of relegation.

Since 1978 Menotti has coached the Mexican national team, the Argentinian clubs Boca Juniors and Independiente twice each, River Plate once, Uruguay's Peñarol, Italy's Sampdoria and Spain's Barcelona.