Dutch national coach Bert van Marwijk will return as head coach of the United Arab Emirates national team, the UAE Football Association said on Monday.

"UAE FA agrees with Bert Van Marwijk to become the head coach of UAE national team," it said on Twitter.

The UAE last year had sacked Marwijk after only nine months in the job.

The 67-year-old, who led Netherlands to the 2010 World Cup final in which they lost to Spain, took over the UAE national side in March 2019.

His departure came in the wake of the UAE's 4-2 defeat to Qatar in the Gulf Cup. He had taken over from Italian Alberto Zaccheroni, who left also after a defeat to Qatar in the semi-finals of the 2019 Asian Cup.

Van Marwijk coached Australia at the 2018 World Cup finals.