Five things to know about Eric Chelle, new Super Eagles coach

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, announced the appointment of former Mali coach Éric Sékou Chelle as the new coach of the Super Eagles.

“The Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation has endorsed the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee for the appointment of Éric Sékou Chelle as Head Coach of Nigeria’s senior men’s national football team, the Super Eagles,” the NFF said in a statement.

Read Also: NFF confirms Éric Sékou Chelle as Super Eagles coach

“At its meeting in Abuja on Thursday, January 2, 2025, the NFF Technical and Development Sub-Committee recommended the appointment of the former coach of Mali’s senior men’s national team as the new Head Coach of the Super Eagles.”

The Malian tactician faces an immediate challenge as he prepares the Super Eagles for crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in March against Rwanda and Zimbabwe. Nigeria, currently winless after four matches, sits fifth in Group C and urgently needs victories to revive its campaign.

Here are five things to know about Éric Chelle, the new man to lead the Super Eagles.

Birth and Nationality
Éric Sékou Chelle was born on November 11, 1977, in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. He holds Malian citizenship despite his French-Ivorian roots, as his father is French and his mother Malian.

Playing Career
Chelle was a central defender who spent most of his playing career in France. He featured for clubs like Valenciennes, Lens, Istres, and Chamois Niortais.
He earned six caps for the Mali national team between 2003 and 2006, despite being eligible to play for France due to his father’s nationality.

Coaching Career
Chelle transitioned to management after retiring from football, starting his coaching career in France’s lower leagues.
In May 2021, he was appointed head coach of US Boulogne but was dismissed in December 2021 after a poor run of results.
In 2022, he took over as head coach of the Mali national team, leading them to the quarter-finals of the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast. Mali narrowly lost to the hosts in extra time.

Coaching Record
Chelle has managed 148 games, achieving 67 wins, 40 draws, and 41 losses, with a win percentage of 45.27%.

Historic Appointment
Chelle is the first non-Nigerian African to be appointed as head coach of the Super Eagles.