Michel Dussuyer has taken over as the new coach of African champions Ivory Coast, the country's football federation announced on Tuesday.

It is yet another stint in African football for the 56-year-old-Frenchman, who has worked previously as national coach of Guinea in two separate spells besides being in charge of Benin.

He has signed a two-year deal with the option for another two years, the federation said in a statement.

Dussuyer replaces compatriot Herve Renard, who left soon after winning the African Nations Cup with the Elephants in Equatorial Guinea in February to take over Ligue 1 club Lille.

Dussuyer was Ivoria's assistant coach, under Henri Michel, when they lost in the final of the 2006 Nations Cup to hosts Egypt on post-match penalties.

Dussuyer's first assignment will be an African Nations Cup qualifier in Sierra Leone on Sept 5.

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