Super Eagles Captain Ndidi Sends Message to NFF After Chelle Fails to Meet Contract Terms, Video
- Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi has sent a crucial message to the Nigeria Football Federation at the 2025 AFCON
- The Besiktas missed Nigeria's match against the Atlas Lions of Morocco in the semifinal on Wednesday, January 14
- The 29-year-old will lead the three-time AFCON winners as they take on the Pharaohs of Egypt in the third-place match
Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi has sent a bold message to the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Nigeria lost 4-2 on penalties to hosts Morocco in the semifinal of the continental tournament after 120 minutes of action at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on Wednesday, January 14.
Source: Getty Images
The Super Eagles had an opportunity to take control of the shootout after Hamza Igamane missed Morocco’s second penalty, but substitute Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyemaechi failed to convert their efforts.
Nigeria will now face the Pharaohs of Egypt in the third-place playoff at the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca on Saturday, January 17, according to CAF.
Wilfred Ndidi defends Eric Chelle
Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi has appealed to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) not to sack head coach Eric Chelle despite failing to meet the target stated in his contract.
Speaking with journalists during a pre-match conference, the former Leicester City midfielder said Chelle has brought stability to the team.
The 29-year-old stressed that failing to reach the AFCON final should not be used as justification for dismissing the Franco-Malian coach. He said:
"It's amazing for a long time, being the captain is a great privilege for me, with the help of the coach, players and other leaders of the team.
"When we talk about the experience as the captain. For the future, I will say this team I am very proud of, they have done great thing in this tournament and it's been amazing.
"For continuity, I feel like they should keep the coach because he is a wonderful manager; the only thing we need in this team is continuity. We should not change things now because we did not make it to the final; we should remain focus because there are so many competitions ahead.
"Let us focus on the team; I am proud of these set of players."
Source: Getty Images
Fans react
Reactions have trailed the comment of Super Eagles captain Eric Chelle concerning the future of Eric Chelle. Read them below:
@lebar4real said:
"Yes he should be retained, anything aside from that is a set back and disaster for the team."
@doyleparton wrote:
"Chelle's record is impressive, with 11 wins and five draws from 17 games, and he's helped Nigeria score 14 goals in just five AFCON matches.
"Chelle's ability to manage the squad and handle challenges, like resolving player disputes without escalation should also be considered. So I support Ndidi 💯."
@Ugolibra added:
"Sometimes continuity outweighs change,
"A stable system allows players to understand their roles, build chemistry, grow together, changing too often can disrupt progress and prevent long-term success."
Eric Chelle speaks about his future
Legit.ng earlier reported that Eric Chelle has explained how his future is expected to pan out after AFCON 2025, with no decision made so far after the Super Eagles missed out on the final.
He added that he remains focused on the third-place match against Egypt, which will officially spell the end of AFCON 2025 for the Super Eagles, after which there will be conversations with the NFF.
Source: Legit.ng
