Triple league champion Lippi quits Evergrande

Former Italian soccer player Fabio Cannavaro (R) and his predecessor Marcello Lippi (L) attend a news conference announcing him as the new executive manager of Chinese Super League champion Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao Football Club, in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, Nov 5, 2014. (Photo: Qiu Quanlin/chinadaily.com.cn)

Marcello Lippi has quit as head coach of Chinese Super League champion Guangzhou Evergrande, the club said.

Italian Lippi, who led his country to the FIFA World Cup in 2006, was hired by Evergrande in May 2012 and guided the club to China's top professional soccer league title three consecutive times.

His China adventure peaked in 2013 when he led the Cantonese club to the AFC Champions League crown, the first Chinese outfit to do so.

The 66-year-old showed his willingness to step aside, due to alleged health and family reasons, after his former national team captain and central defender Fabio Cannavaro was appointed executive coach in November last year.

Lippi stepped down as technical director as Cannavaro adapted to the coaching role and Thursday's announcement marked the transition from Lippi to the former FIFA World Player of the Year.