© Reuters 2002

MIAMI, Oct 8 (Reuters) - Mexican football officials, searching for a national team coach to replace Javier Aguirre, interviewed Brazil's FIFA World Cup" winner Luiz Felipe Scolari on Tuesday and said he had made a good impression.

Scolari had been considered an outsider in the three-horse race with Argentine Carlos Bianchi and Argentine-born Mexican Ricardo Lavolpe. Former Real Madrid and Mexico striker Hugo Sanchez dropped out of the running last month.

"Many people thought this meeting was just a formality but we have always been open to the idea of getting to know him," said Mexican Football Federation president Alberto de la Torre after the interview with Scolari in a Miami hotel.

"We wanted to see if there was a good chemistry. There was and he left a pleasant impression.

"Today I can see there are more points in his favour than there were before we spoke to him."

Scolari, affectionately known in his own country as Big Phil (Felipao), led Brazil to their fifth World Cup title in June, only 14 months after taking over with the team in the doldrums.

He resigned five weeks after the FIFA World Cup" final win over Germany, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family.

"It's very interesting, if not I wouldn't be here," said Scolari. "I've come here with a project to offer and to listen to what kind of project they have."

De la Torre said a decision could be announced next week.

Bianchi resurrected Boca Juniors, Argentina's most popular club, after years of mid-table mediocrity, winning three domestic titles and the South American Libertadores Cup two years running. He left at the end of last year and is without a club.

Former Argentine goalkeeper Lavolpe ended his playing career in Mexico and is now coach of Apertura championship leaders Toluca. He is a bitter rival of Sanchez.

Mexico are regarded as perennial under-achievers. Despite a football-mad population, they have never gone beyond the quarter-finals of the World Cup.

They were knocked out in the second round of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan" by the United States and Aguirre resigned immediately afterwards.