Brazil’s Rio 2016 Olympic gold medal-winning coach, Rogério Micale, has been sacked ©Getty Images

Brazil’s Rio 2016 Olympic gold medal-winning coach Rogério Micale has been sacked after he failed to guide the country to qualification for this year’s FIFA Under-20 World Cup in South Korea.

The youth division coach’s removal was confirmed by Brazilian Football Confederation spokesman Gregorio Fernandes.

Brazil reached the final stage of the 2017 South American Youth Championship, the CONMEBOL (South American Football Confederation) qualification tournament held in Ecuador from January 18 to February 11 but failed to secure a top-four finish required to advance.

They ended up fifth behind Uruguay, hosts Ecuador, Venezuela and Argentina, all of whom will compete for the title in South Korea from May 20 to June 11.  

Micale, whose contract was recently extended until Tokyo 2020, took over as coach of Brazil’s Olympic team in June 2016.

He replaced Dunga, the captain of Brazil’s triumphant side at the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States, who was fired.   

Neymar scored the winning penalty for Brazil in the final of the men's Olympic football tournament at Rio 2016 ©Getty Images
Neymar scored the winning penalty for Brazil in the final of the men's Olympic football tournament at Rio 2016 ©Getty Images

Micale started out with Brazil’s Under-20 team in May 2015, just prior to that year’s Under-20 World Cup in New Zealand, where Brazil lost 2-1 to Serbia after extra time in the final.

A replacement for him has yet to be chosen.

Brazil’s victory at Rio 2016 saw the South American powerhouses finally gain an elusive Olympic men's football gold and become just the fourth home winners after Great Britain at London 1908, Belgium at Antwerp 1920 and Spain at Barcelona 1992.

Talisman Neymar scored the winning penalty in the final against Germany, following a 1-1 draw after extra time at the Maracanã Stadium.