Muricy Ramhalo.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

SAO PAULO, Brazil -- Fluminense coach Muricy Ramalho was invited by the Brazilian Football Federation on Friday to head the national team.

Federation president Ricardo Teixeira told the O Globo TV network he offered Ramalho the job in Rio de Janeiro.

Teixeira said Ramalho must first talk with Fluminense to see if he can break the contract he has with the club to the end of the year.

If he accepts, Ramalho will replace Dunga, who was fired days after Brazil lost to the Netherlands in the World Cup quarter-finals in South Africa. Brazil will host the 2014 World Cup.

The ESPN website said that at the end of the meeting with Teixeira, Ramalho said: "Who wouldn't want to coach the Brazilian national team?"

Ramalho led Sao Paulo to three consecutive Brazilian league titles from 2006-2008. He has also coached nine other teams in Brazil, as well as China's Shanghai Shenhua.

Between 1973 and 1979 he played for Sao Paulo as a midfielder, scoring 26 goals in 177 games.

On Monday, the national team has to announce its squad for the Aug. 10 friendly against the United States in New Jersey.