Since taking charge of the Super Eagles in March 2025, coach Éric Sékou Chelle has made no secret of his ambition: head into tournaments with nothing less than winning the crown. Speaking exclusively to Confederation of African Football (CAF), Chelle declared, “When you coach Nigeria, you have to win everything.”
Chelle’s mandate is significant. The Super Eagles currently find themselves in a transitional phase — building momentum ahead of both the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco and the final rounds of the FIFA World Cup 2026 African Qualifiers. Since his arrival, the team has posted four wins and two draws in six matches, accruing 14 points from a possible 18.
In the interview, the coach reflected on the magnitude of his new role. “Nigeria is a massive team — arguably the best in Africa in sporting terms and aura,” he said. For him, wearing the green jersey is both a privilege and a responsibility that transcends sport. He continued, “I consider myself Nigerian and I’m ready to give everything for this team and country.”
Chelle emphasised that managing the Super Eagles goes beyond tactics. He stressed the importance of creating a “bubble” around the squad to keep focus amid the noise of millions of passionate fans. “There are 230 million coaches, journalists and decision-makers!” he noted.
Regarding Group C at AFCON — featuring Nigeria alongside Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania — Chelle was unequivocal: “At AFCON there are no small teams… Given our history, our quality of play and the calibre of past and present players, we must deliver a great AFCON.”
On his team-selection strategy, he revealed that the Super Eagles now track roughly 80 players every week, scrutinising club performance, tactical fit and consistency. In a squad loaded with attacking talent — including Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman and Raphaël Onyedika — the competition is fierce. “We’ll have to be very serious and trust our mindset,” Chelle said.
Nigeria has not lifted the AFCON title since 2013. When asked how he deals with the accompanying pressure, the coach simply replied: “We’re working in parallel, but our mindset must first be on those immediate tests… When you coach Nigeria, you have to win everything.”
Chelle’s decade-spanning career includes leading Mali national football team to the quarter-finals at a previous AFCON, and now he faces arguably his greatest challenge: restoring the Super Eagles to their rightful place at the summit of African football.
