Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle is beginning to attract strong interest from other African nations following his impressive outing with Nigeria at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco, according to SportyTV.
Chelle, who was appointed Nigeria’s head coach in January 2025, enjoyed an immediate impact with the Super Eagles. He led the team to a third-place finish at the continental tournament, as Nigeria defeated Egypt in the third-place playoff to secure their ninth AFCON bronze medal. Under his guidance, the Super Eagles were arguably the most entertaining team at the competition, scoring 14 goals in seven matches.
Defensively, Chelle’s side also stood out. Nigeria kept a clean sheet in every knockout-stage match, with their only setback coming in the semifinals where they were eliminated by hosts Morocco via a penalty shootout. That defeat marked one of only two losses under Chelle in competitive matches, both of which came on penalties. The other was against DR Congo in the World Cup playoffs.
During the AFCON tournament, Chelle’s performances did not go unnoticed. Reports indicate that Tunisia approached the Malian tactician during the competition following their round of 16 exit, which led to the dismissal of head coach Sami Trabelsi. However, Chelle reportedly turned down the opportunity.
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Interest has since intensified, with Angola and Gabon now pushing hard for his services. Gabon recently parted ways with head coach Thierry Mouyouma after crashing out in the group stage of the tournament, leaving the position vacant.
“After a successful AFCON with the Super Eagles, Éric Chelle is now wanted by other African nations, mainly Angola and Gabon. The Malian coach rejected Tunisia after being approached during the tournament, but Angola and Gabon are now pushing hard,” SportyTV revealed on their official X page on Tuesday, confirming the growing interest from other nations.
“Chelle is set to meet with the Nigerian Football Federation in the coming days to discuss his future, while interest from other national teams continues to intensify,” they added.
Prior to the AFCON tournament, Chelle was owed three months’ salary and outstanding bonuses by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF). While the situation did not affect the team’s performances in Morocco, interested nations may seek to take advantage of that uncertainty by offering improved financial terms to tempt the Malian coach away from Nigeria.
Beyond AFCON, Chelle delivered silverware for Nigeria in May 2025, leading the Super Eagles to victory at the Unity Cup in London. Since taking charge, he is yet to lose a competitive match in normal time, a record that has further strengthened his reputation across the continent.
With his growing influence and visible improvement of the team, many supporters believe continuity is key and have called on the Nigerian Football Federation to extend his contract. They argue that Chelle should be given the opportunity to lead the Super Eagles into the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
Chelle’s current contract runs until January 2027. A decision on his future is expected in the coming weeks as all parties weigh whether he will continue in his role as Super Eagles head coach.
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