Tag: Eric Chelle

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Super Eagles Head Coach, Eric Chelle Names Two Things He Wants To Achieve With Nigeria

Eric Chelle, head coach of the Super Eagles, has expressed his ambition to lead Nigeria to victory in both the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the FIFA World Cup.

Chelle, who has less than a year in his contract with the Super Eagles, spoke in a recent interview on the Histoires de Foot Podcast.

“I have a structure around me to try to progress as a coach. It is true that not long ago, I said that my dream was to be the first African at Real Madrid,” Chelle said.

“But that is not my only dream. I want to win the Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria.

“If we had gone through, I wanted to qualify for the World Cup with Nigeria, and I even wanted to win that World Cup.

“I have lots of dreams. I am 48 years old but still young and someone who wants to realise his dreams.”

Chelle led Nigeria to win the bronze medal during the 2025 AFCON in Morocco.

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Super Eagles: Why I Asked NFF For $130,000 Monthly Salary, Made 19 Demands – Eric Chelle Opens Up

The head coach of the Super Eagles, Eric Chelle, has confirmed that he presented specific conditions to the Nigeria Football Federation regarding a new contract.

Chelle has been locked in negotiations with the National Sports Commission, NSC, since he led the team to a third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in January.

 

 

However, some of the details were leaked to the media.

 

Reports claimed Chelle asked for €130,000 monthly alongside improved working conditions.

 

Chelle has now confirmed the circulated docuement is authentic and questioned how it became public.

“Today, if I’m being honest, I don’t really know. The first question I ask myself is how this document could have ended up in the media.

“That’s the question I’m asking myself,” he said in an interview with histoiresdefootpodcast.

Chelle also explained that the salary figure was in dollars, not euros.

And according to the Malian, the amount would cover the wages of his technical crew.

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Super Eagles Head Coach Éric Chelle Reveals His Dream Ambition

Super Eagles head coach Éric Chelle has shared his ambition to manage Spanish football giants Real Madrid at some stage in his coaching career.

Chelle boosted his profile across the continent after leading Nigeria to a third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, a feat that has reportedly attracted interest from several national teams.

The 48-year-old said he hopes to make history by becoming the first African to coach the multiple European champions.

“My dream is to become the first African coach to manage Real Madrid,” Chelle said.

The Malian began his coaching career in 2014 with French amateur side Groupe Sportif Consolat before going on to manage the Mali national team between 2022 and 2024.

His recent success with Nigeria has further strengthened his reputation as one of Africa’s leading home-grown coaches.

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AFCON: What Osimhen Told Me Before Super Eagles’ Penalty Shootout Against Morocco – Chelle

Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle has explained Victor Osimhen’s absence from the penalty shootout in Nigeria’s semifinal defeat to Morocco at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Nigeria lost 4–2 in a penalty shootout after extra time, and there have been questions on why Osimhen was taken off late in the game.

Osimhen was taken off near the end of extra time and substituted with Trabzonspor’s Paul Onuachu, which meant the Galatasaray striker would not be in the penalty shootout.

Onuachu then scored Nigeria’s first penalty kick, but missed chances from Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyeamachi were expensive as Morocco moved on to the final.

Chelle explained that Osimhen came to him before the shootout to say he was not fit to play.

“We take penalty kicks during every training session. I have stats showing who shoots best and who shoots worst,” Eric Chelle said on RMC Sport’s After Foot.

 

 


“Before the penalty shootout, Victor came to me and said, ‘Coach, my ankle is really bad, it hurts, and I can’t take a penalty kick.’”

The Malian coach, however, did not explain why Alex Iwobi did not take a penalty, even though Alex is one of the main leaders in the Super Eagles team.

He added, “I have my own statistics. Ademola Lookman was the fifth taker. Iwobi, it’s something that I shouldn’t talk about. Whatever happens in the group stays within the group.”

The coach said that penalty decisions depend on how well the team is prepared and how ready the players are.

He also explained that he chose the players who took the penalties during the shootout against Egypt in the third-place playoff.

“Against Egypt, I picked the ones who take the blame, so they have to be responsible,” he said.

Although the Super Eagles did not make it to the final, they still won the bronze medal by beating Egypt in a penalty shootout during the third-place match.

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Super Eagles: ‘Eric Chelle Is Not Going Anywhere’ – NSC Director General Confirms

Director-General of Nigeria’s National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, has dismissed any possibility of Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle leaving his position or Nigeria, despite interest from Tunisia, Gabon, and Angola.

Chelle has attracted interest from the aforementioned countries after guiding Nigeria to win Bronze at the 2025 AFCON in Morocco.

The Malian has less than a year remaining on his contract with the Nigeria Football Federation.

However, Olopade has now insisted that Chelle is not leaving Nigeria because the countries interested in him don’t have top players that will make his job easy.

“Eric Chelle is not going anywhere. The countries claiming interest in him don’t have the kind of superstars that make his job easier.

“We must not forget that Eric thrived because he had the right equipment and instruments—the quality personnel he used to execute his ideas.

“I had dinner with him two days ago at my house in Abuja. I’m not the NFF President, but we operate with a collaborative approach, and Eric Chelle has become both a brother and a friend.

“That same night, I called the NFF president, and hopefully by Tuesday or Wednesday, we’ll all sit down together,” Olopade told Footy-Africa.

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Super Eagles: ‘Don’t Let Him Go’ – Frank Onyeka Begs NFF Over Chelle

Super Eagles midfielder Frank Onyeka has appealed to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to retain head coach Eric Chelle.

Onyeka praised Chelle’s character and ability, insisting that many players within the Super Eagles have a strong affection for him.

Chelle’s current contract with the NFF  will expire in January 2027 after he signed a midway in his two-year contract with the federation.

“When Chelle took charge of the Super Eagles, you could see his game plan and tactics,” Onyeka told Oma Akatugba.

“He’s a good and a lovely man, someone you feel comfortable around.

“He is very open-minded and offers everyone the opportunity they deserve.

“A lot of the Super Eagles players love him so much. Don’t let him go.”

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NFF Confirms Eric Chelle Will Remain As Super Eagles Coach After 2025 AFCON

The President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Gusau, has confirmed that Eric Chelle will remain as head coach after Nigeria secured third place at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

NFF had set a target of getting to the final and winning the trophy for Chelle, but he fell short of this, losing to Morocco in the semi-final and winning the bronze medal instead.

Speaking after the tournament, Gusau stated that the national team displayed notable progress under Chelle and affirmed that the federation is committed to working with the coach as Nigeria aims to build on the performance.

“The team is close to running on autopilot and will definitely achieve a lot of success under the present technical crew,” Gusau said via NFF, reflecting on Nigeria’s campaign.

“The NFF is proud of the team’s performance and will continue to do its best to encourage, support, and motivate the team as we go forward.

“As the head of a hard-working technical crew, Mr Chelle has done exceedingly well within the one year he has been with us. He has shown enormous capacity, and we will continue to work with him.”

Nigeria finished third at the tournament after defeating Egypt 4-2 on penalties to win the bronze medal, following a goalless draw in regulation time at the Stade Mohamed V in Casablanca on Saturday.

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Chelle relieved with Super Eagles AFCON 2025 bronze

Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle admitted defeat in the third-place match at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations would have been difficult to accept, but expressed pride after the Super Eagles claimed the bronze medal.

Nigeria finished third after edging their opponents to cap a campaign that fell short of the title but provided encouragement for the future.

Speaking after the match, Chelle said the result eased the emotional weight of the tournament and validated the effort of his players.

“It would have been very difficult for me to accept if we had lost this game,” Chelle said. “My players gave everything during this AFCON, and I am very proud to be their coach.”

Chelle relieved with Super Eagles AFCON 2025 bronze

Chelle relieved after Super Eagles win over Egypt for AFCON 2025 bronze – Getty image

Tactical choices and game management

Chelle revealed he deliberately adjusted his system for the third-place match, starting with a flat 4-4-2 rather than his preferred diamond midfield.

According to the coach, the change was part of a broader tactical test rather than a reaction to pressure.

“I wanted to bring the game wide first, then inside,” he explained. “The players are more comfortable in the diamond, so the first half was difficult. In the second half we kept the ball better, and for me, we deserved this victory.”

He also defended his in-game decisions, including substitutions that drew criticism from some supporters.

“If I do something that looks crazy, there is always a reason,” Chelle said, stressing that each decision was made with long-term development in mind.

Focus on players and future planning

The coach praised goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, whose place in the squad had been questioned before the tournament, crediting trust and preparation for his performances.

“We prepared Stanley like every other player,” Chelle said. “He is strong, sometimes nervous, but he would go to war for his teammates. He deserves this victory.”

Chelle also addressed questions over squad rotation and the limited involvement of younger players, insisting caution was necessary in high-pressure situations.

“You cannot just throw young players into pressure situations,” he said. “They must prove readiness every day in training.”

Despite missing out on the title, Chelle believes the tournament laid a foundation for progress.

“I am happy with third place, even though I wanted to bring the trophy to Nigeria,” he said. “Our mission now is the next AFCON. We want to build something ambitious.”

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AFCON 2025: Chelle Reveals What Will Happen If Nigeria vs Morocco Goes To Penalties

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has addressed the possibility of their 2025 AFCON semi-final against Morocco being decided by a penalty shootout.

So far, only the last-16 clash between Mali and Tunisia was decided via spot-kicks at the tournament.

Nigeria lost by penalties to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the 2026 World Cup intercontinental playoff in November.

And when asked about his team’s preparations for a shoot-out in case the match against the Atlas Lions extends beyond extra-time, Chelle replied: “I will go to the mosque to pray to win if we get to a penalty shootout.”

If the Eagles are able to beat the host whether in regulation time or penalties, they will take on Senegal or Egypt in Sunday’s final.

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AFCON 2025: Chelle Names Final 28-Man Super Eagles Squad (Full List)

Eric Chelle, the Head coach of the Super Eagles, has released his final squad list for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Chelle has trimmed his initial 50-man squad to 28 players.

The most obvious absentee is captain William Troost-Ekong, who announced his retirement from international football last week.

However, vice-captains Wilfred Ndidi and Victor Osimhen make the cut.

The deadline for the submission of the final squads was December 10.

The Super Eagles squad in full:
Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa), Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania), Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus)

Defenders: Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England), Semi Ajayi (Hull City, England), Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City, England), Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece), Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes FC, France), Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal), Igoh Ogbu (Slavia Prague, Czech Republic), Ryan Alebiosu (Blackburn Rovers, England)

Midfielders: Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England), Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England), Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas FC, Turkey), Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium), Tochukwu Nnadi (Zulte Waregem, Belgium), Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (SS Lazio, Italy), Ebenezer Akinsanmiro (Pisa SC, Italy), Usman Muhammed (Ironi Tiberias, Israel)

Forwards: Ademola Lookman (Atalanta BC, Italy), Samuel Chukwueze (Fulham FC, England), Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray FC, Turkey), Simon Moses (Paris FC, France), Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla FC, Spain), Akor Adams (Sevilla FC, Spain), Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor AS, Turkey), Cyriel Dessers (Panathinaikos FC, Greece), Salim Fago Lawal (NK Istra 1961, Croatia)

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