The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Tuesday night confirmed the appointment of Éric Chelle as Head Coach of the Super Eagles.
The appointment of Éric Chelle, a former coach of Mali’s senior men national team, came through the recommendation of the NFF Technical and Development Sub-Committee at its meeting held in Abuja on Thursday, January 2, 2025. The NFF Executive Committee endorsed the recommendation on Tuesday, January 7.
Nigeria News Source gathered that Chelle’s appointment takes immediate effect. He has also been mandated by the NFF to ensure the Super Eagles earn a ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals, with the next round of matches (Match Days 5 and 6) scheduled to take place in March.
Before his appointment to head the Super Eagles, Éric Sékou Chelle, 47, was Head Coach of the Aiglons of Mali from 2022 until June 2024. He won five caps for the Aiglons while playing for the team. He also coached clubs such as GS Consolat, FC Martigues, Boulogne and MC Oran.
Chelle during his playing days donned the jerseys of Martigues, Valenciennes, Lens, Istres and Chamois Niortais in the French Ligue 1.
At the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cote d’Ivoire, Chelle took the Aiglons close to nicking a semi-finals berth but ended up losing to the hosts and eventual winners, Cote d’Ivoire, 2-1 after extra time. The Malians were leading by a lone goal until the final minute of regulation time when the Ivorians scored the equalizer and thereafter went on to win in extra time.
