RIO DE JANEIRO (AFP) - Carlos Alberto Parreira is set to quit his job as coach of 2010 World Cup hosts South Africa, his wife was quoted as saying in Friday's Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper.

Parreira, who led Brazil to the 1994 World Cup title, was recruited by South Africa last year to try and raise the standard of the national team before the finals.

Leila Parreira told Folha de Sao Paulo: "He has already made his decision and is set to return to Brazil at the beginning of next month."

Leila Parreira added the 65-year-old coach made the decision for personal reasons, saying he was homesick and missed his family.

However the Bafana Bafana, as the South African team is known, have had poor results recently.

They were eliminated in the group stage of the African Nations Cup in Ghana earlier this year and are only 71st in FIFA's world rankings.