Rio de Janerio, May 29 (IANS): Flamengo named former Brazil midfielder Cristovao Borges as their coach until the end of the year, a media report said on Friday.

The 55-year-old replaces Vanderlei Luxemburgo who was sacked on Monday after the club's poor start to the Brazilian Serie A season.

During a press conference in Rio de Janeiro, Cristovao said it was the "dream of any professional coach" to be in charge of Flamengo, Xinhua news agency reported.

"I hope to bring positive energy," he said. "Flamengo are all about winning titles and that's what I came here to do."

Five-time Brazilian Serie A champions Flamengo are currently 17th in the competition's 20-team standings with just one point from their first three matches.

Capped seven times for Brazil, Cristovao was part of the Selecao team that won the 1989 Copa America.

Thursday's appointment comes two months after he was sacked as coach of Flamengo's cross-city rivals Fluminense due to a bad run of results.