The bickering between the two men, appointed to work together after a disappointing African Nations Cup, reached a level that Queiroz said he could not live with.

He said he would quit rather than allow Sono to share in team selection duties.

South African Football Association President Molefi Oliphant announced the Portuguese trainer had resigned at a press conference on Tuesday.

Queiroz later said he had not resigned but had rather "stepped aside" in the interests of South African soccer.

"It is a matter of principle and ethics," Queiroz said.

"The issue at stake is who has final control over the selection of players and I am not prepared to share that responsibility. I cannot compromise my professionalism".

Sono, who was South Africa's caretaker coach when they reached the final of the 1998 African Nations Cup in Burkina Faso, was appointed last month as the technical director of the team.

He was told to work together with Queiroz in the selection of the team coaching staff.

No compromise

The struggle for control reached a crescendo on Monday night when Queiroz refused to relinquish his powers of selection.

"We mandated Sono and Queiroz to work together in the matters of selecting the team and technical staff," said Oliphant.

"But the coach said the team selection was his sole responsibility and he did not want to compromise on this matter", Oliphant said.