TEHRAN - Dick Advocaat has been officially confirmed as the new head coach of the Iraq national team.

Advocaat left Feyenoord at the end of the season and was expected to retire, but the 73-year old has instead decided to take on a new challenge.

Advocaat has been named as the new head coach of Iraq and will be charged with leading the country to the World Cup next year, football-oranje.com reported.

The experienced coach is now heading for his seventh national team position after the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Belgium, Russia, and Serbia.

Iraq are in Group A of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification Round 3 along with Iran, the UAE, South Korea, Lebanon and Syria.