Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle Explains Nigeria’s Ambitions at AFCON 2025
- Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has opened up about his team's ambition at AFCON 2025 in Morocco
- Nigeria heads into the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations with the determination to win the trophy
- The Super Eagles finished second at the 2023 edition in Côte d'Ivoire after losing 2-1 to the host nation
Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has declared his team’s ambition as they prepare to kick off their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria are drawn in Group C alongside the Taifa Stars of Tanzania, the Eagles of Carthage of Tunisia and the Cranes of Uganda.
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The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations kicks off in Morocco on December 21, 2025, but Nigeria won't play their first match against Tanzania until the 23rd.
Chelle explains Nigeria’s ambitions
The NFF hired Eric Chelle in January 2025, and leading the team to AFCON 2025 was one of the tasks set before him when he was appointed.
The Franco-Malian manager who coached Mali at the 2023 edition admits that the only thing on the mind of his team is to conquer the continent in Morocco.
“Of course, we want to win it. Personally, I want to win the AFCON. My first and last AFCON was a fantastic experience. I think Morocco will be a great tournament, too,” he told CAF.
“The players feel the same. Since March, we’ve played every match under pressure. When we set foot in Morocco, that pressure will be familiar. We’ll be ready mentally and in our collective mindset.
“Our strength is that the players have suffered, then found a way through. That can really hurt opponents.”
The former RC Lens defender added that he feels the pressure from Nigerians, and he acknowledges that when you coach the country's football team, you must win everything.
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“When you coach Nigeria, you have to win everything. But we proceed with humility, with a smile and a will to work. This team has great players. If we stay serious, motivated and united, nothing is impossible,” he added.
As noted by The NFF, Nigeria is highly motivated to win the tournament for two reasons: 1. The team finished as runners-up in 2023, and 2. It failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Chelle has the same mindset as Nigerians; his Malian team crashed out of the 2023 edition after losing to Cote d'Ivoire in the quarter-final, the same team that beat Nigeria in the final.
Failure to win the trophy or at least have a deep run with good performances might spell the end of Chelle's reign as the manager of the national team.
NFF sets target for Eric Chelle
Legit.ng previously reported that NFF set a target for Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Nigeria reached the final of the 2023 edition, which they lost to the Cote d'Ivoire, and the federation expects to at least reach the final again.
Source: Legit.ng
