Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has set his sights on finishing the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on a high as Nigeria prepare to face Egypt in Saturday’s third-place match, Bold Sports reports.
Nigeria’s hopes of lifting a fourth AFCON title were dashed in the semifinals after a tense penalty shootout defeat to hosts Morocco. Egypt also suffered semifinal heartbreak, losing 1-0 to Senegal, with Sadio Mané scoring the winning goal. Despite the disappointment, Chelle insists his players are fully focused on securing the bronze medal.
“We have to play a good game. We have to look forward to winning because we did a great tournament so we have to go back to Nigeria with the third place,” Chelle said during his pre-match press conference.
Reflecting on the tournament so far, the Malian tactician highlighted the positives, particularly the integration of new players into the squad. Akor Adams enjoyed a strong AFCON debut, recording two goals and two assists, and Chelle expressed his desire to build a deeper, more competitive team in the future.
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“If God allows me to be coach after this tournament, I’ll like to bring some new players into the team. My dream is to have 22 players, and all of them can contribute,” he said, before stressing that his immediate focus remains on the clash with Egypt. “But now the most important thing is the game against Egypt, and the players. After then, I’ll have a lot of time to think about the future.”
Chelle also confirmed that defender Calvin Bassey will miss the third-place match after picking up a yellow card in the semifinal against Morocco.
“Yes, Calvin will not play,” he confirmed. “But we are a group, and some players will get the chance to show what they can do. Calvin had a great AFCON, but there are players who can take his position. Once again, I have to find the best way for the team to win this game.”
The coach was full of praise for Bassey’s performances, tipping him for the very top: “For me, he is the best center back of this AFCON. I ask him to improve every game because I want him to be one of the best in the world.”
Chelle admitted the semifinal exit was painful, but revealed how he challenged both himself and his players to respond positively: “We are disappointed to be here. I had lot of ambitions for this team, but if I asked something of my players, I have to do the same,” he said. “I asked them in the locker room after the game against Morocco to keep their heads up. For me, it is difficult to keep my head up, but the only solution I’ve found is a big smile.”
The pressure of the occasion, he added, has been intense: “I want to win this game, and I have lot of pressure. Yesterday I slept for only three hours because I was thinking of this game. I just want to win and after this AFCON, we can think of other things.”
Looking back at the semifinal performance, Chelle defended his players, pointing to their effort and commitment: “You can rewatch the game. You can check the statistics. The intensity was so high, the aggressiveness, they ran a lot. It was crazy. They understood very well the philosophy, the state of mind was good too. I’m very very proud of the players.”
He also spoke emotionally about his bond with the squad amid uncertainty over his future: “If I’m no longer coach of the Super Eagles, the players will remain my brothers for life because they gave everything for me and I’m very proud of it,” Chelle said. “I’m just a little coach with my philosophy and I try to do my best with my staff. I’m very proud and I want to say thank you to my players. It will be a big thank you if we win the third place.”
Chelle further addressed his decisions during the penalty shootout against Morocco, explaining why Samuel Chukwueze was trusted despite missing his kick.
“In all of the training sessions during this AFCON, the players practiced penalties,” he explained. “Samuel (Chukwueze) is our best penalty taker in the team. He never missed a penalty in training. Yeah, penalties in training sessions are not the same with during the game.”
As Nigeria turn their attention to Egypt, Chelle and his players are determined to channel their semifinal disappointment into one final push, with the aim of ending their AFCON 2025 campaign on a positive note.
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