Eric Chelle has been formally introduced by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as the Super Eagles’ new head coach. On Monday, January 13, 2025, the unveiling event was held in the Moshood Abiola Stadium’s media conference room in Abuja.
On Tuesday, January 7, 2025, the NFF first officially confirmed Chelle’s employment, making him the 42nd permanent head coach of the Super Eagles. Reviving Nigeria’s faltering 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign will be his main responsibility. Chelle will have a chance to win over supporters and former Nigerian players despite their harsh criticism when he captains the home-based Super Eagles at the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN).
During his unveiling, Chelle expressed his long-standing admiration for the Super Eagles, recalling his time in Marseille. “When I was young, this was my favorite team. I bought the shirts, watched the games every day. During the World Cup in France, I was in Marseille—it’s my team.” Nigeria’s World Cup qualifying campaign is currently in a precarious position, with only three points from four matches.
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The Super Eagles are at risk of missing the tournament for the second consecutive time, currently sitting 5th in Group
About Eric Chelle
C. Éric Sékou Chelle, born on November 11, 1977, is a professional football manager and former center-back. Born in Ivory Coast to a French father and a Malian mother, he made five appearances for the Mali national team. Chelle, who holds French nationality, spent his entire playing career in France, representing clubs such as Martigues, Valenciennes, Lens, Istres, and Chamois Niortais.
Internationally, he represented Mali. In May 2021, he was appointed head coach of US Boulogne, but was dismissed in December 2021 after the club’s poor performance. In 2022, Chelle became the manager of Mali, but he was dismissed on June 13, 2024. On January 7, 2025, Chelle’s appointment as head coach of the Super Eagles was met with considerable resistance and criticism from Nigerian football fans, who labeled him “a French Ligue 2 Veteran”.
