RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- Legendary former goalkeeper Rogerio Ceni will coach Brazilian second division outfit Fortaleza next year, the club announced on Friday.

Ceni, 44, has been out of work since being sacked by Sao Paulo in July after just six months in the role.

"We are confident that Rogerio is going to be a great coach," Fortaleza president Marcelo Paz was quoted as saying by the Folha de S.Paulo newspaper.

"He is a modern coach of the highest level, a great leader of people and he's going to bring great publicity to the club."

Ceni retired at the end of 2015 after 1,250 matches for Sao Paulo in a career spanning 24 seasons. He was capped 16 times for Brazil's national team and was a part of the Selecao squad that won the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea.

A specialist free-kick and penalty taker, he is recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the highest-scoring keeper of all time with 131 goals.