Ivory Coast says it has hired former Belgium coach Wilmots

Wilmots led Belgium for four years, reaching the quarterfinals at both the 2014 World Cup and last year's European Championship. (Frank Augstein/AP)

BRUSSELS — Ivory Coast says it has hired former Belgium coach Marc Wilmots to lead its national soccer team.

Ivory Coast is coming off a disappointing showing at the African Cup of Nations, where it was eliminated in the group phase.

Wilmots led Belgium for four years, reaching the quarterfinals at both the 2014 World Cup and last year’s European Championship.

After losing to Wales in the Euro 2016 quarterfinals, Wilmots was derided as a poor tactician for failing to get failing to get Belgium’s best crop of players any further in the tournament.

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