The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has officially announced Éric Sékou Chelle, a French-Malian tactician, as the new head coach of the Super Eagles.
His appointment marks a historic moment as Chelle becomes the first non-Nigerian African to lead the country’s senior national team.
Here are seven important facts about the 47-year-old manager:
1. Background: Born in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, Chelle has a French father and a Malian mother.
2. Playing Career: He earned five caps for Mali’s national team, playing as a center-centre-backlub Career: Chelle spent his professional playing career in France, representing clubs such as Martigues, Valenciennes, Lens, Istres, and Chamois Niortais from 1998 to 2014.
4. AFCON Experience: As Mali’s head coach, he guided the team to the quarterfinals of AFCON 2023, where they were eliminated by hosts Côte d’Ivoire, who later defeated Nigeria in the final.
5. Coaching Background: Before managing Mali’s national team, Chelle coached several French lower-league sides, including GS Consolat, FC Martigues, and Boulogne.
6. Managerial Record: Chelle holds a 44% win rate as a manager, with 70 wins out of 159 matches. With Mali, he recorded 13 wins and three losses in 21 games but was dismissed in June 2024 after finishing fourth in Group I of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
7. Criticism: His appointment as the Super Eagles head coach has sparked mixed reactions, with some fans labelling him a “French Ligue 2 veteran.”
