Chile football chief confirms talks with Colombian coach Rueda

SANTIAGO - The Chilean football association (ANFP) is in talks with Colombian Reinaldo Rueda about the national team's vacant coaching position, according to the organization's top official.

Rueda, who is the current coach of Brazilian giants Flamengo, participated in closed-door talks with ANFP president Arturo Salah on Friday and could be named as the Roja's new coach within days, according to Chilean state-run pay TV news service 24 Horas.

"I had had a very good meeting with Reinaldo Rueda. Now we are negotiating," Salah said.

Chile, the reigning Copa America champions, have been without a coach since October when Juan Antonio Pizzi departed after the team's failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

Rueda joined Flamengo in August and guided the Rio outfit to sixth in Brazil's 20-team Serie A standings, earning them a berth in next year's Copa Libertadores, South America's version of the UEFA Champions League.

He also led them to the final of the second-tier Copa Sudamerica, which they lost to Argentina's Independiente.

The 60-year-old Colombian has previously coached the national teams of Colombia, Ecuador and Honduras.