Nigeria have appointed former Mali national team manager Eric Chelle as the new head coach of the Super Eagles.
He will take over from Augustine Eguavoen, who was in interim charge of the Super Eagles during their successful qualifying campaign for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
With Chelle’s first game in charge of Nigeria set to take place in March, we take a look at who the new Super Eagles boss is.
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Background
Chelle was born in Ivory Coast but holds the three nationalities of Mali, Ivory Coast, and France. He played the majority of his football career in France, where he featured for FC Martigues, Valenciennes, Lens, Istres, and Chamois Niortais. He made a total of 375 club appearances across a 16-year playing career.
He also played on the international stage by making five appearances for Mali across two years between 2004 and 2006.
Managerial career
After finishing his playing career, he went on to become a manager, which included spells at Ligue 2 sides GS Consolat, FC Martigues, and Boulogne. Following his club coaching jobs, he was then appointed Mali head coach in 2022, and it was here where he made a name for himself as he took them within a minute of a place in the semi-finals at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
His side led hosts and eventual winners Ivory Coast for most of the game before conceding an equaliser in the last minute of regulation time, and eventually losing 2-1 after extra-time. After the match, he was seen falling to his knees in despair, as his assistants rushed to cool him down with bottles of water, highlighting his deep passion and commitment to the cause.
Chelle would eventually be fired by Mali in June 2024, days after they were held to a goalless draw by 10-man Madagascar in a Group I World Cup qualifier in Johannesburg.
A new role for Chelle
Chelle’s debut as Nigeria’s head coach will come in March when the Super Eagles face Rwanda and Zimbabwe in the next round of qualifiers.
The three-time AFCON champions are yet to win a game in 2026 World Cup qualifying, drawing three of their first four games in Group C. Nigeria are four points behind group leaders Rwanda, but only the group winners are assured of a place at the finals in the United States, Mexico, and Canada at the end of the next football season. His remit will be to qualify for the 2026 World Cup and he certainly has a big job on his hands, albeit with a star-studded squad.
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