Chelle: Interesting facts about new Super Eagles coach

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), on Tuesday appointed former Malian coach, Éric Sékou Chelle, as Head Coach of the Super Eagles.

Chelle, who hails from Mali, makes history as the first non-Nigerian African to coach the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

The 47-year-old French-Malian coach was born on Nov. 11, 1977, in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, but raised in France by his French father and Malian mother.

During his playing days, he was a central defender who plied his trade in France for clubs such as Martigues (1998-2003), Valenciennes (2003-2008), Lens (2008-2011), Istres (2011-2013), and Chamois Niortais (2013-2014).

The hard-tackling defender earned five caps for the Les Aigles (The Eagles) of Mali during his short spell with the national team between 2004 and 2006.

After his playing career, Chelle took up coaching, managing lower division clubs in France such as GS Consolat (France amateur league), FC Martigues (Ligue 2), Boulogne (Championnat National), and MC Oran (Algerian Ligue).

He was appointed head coach of the Mali national team in May 2022. He guided them to the quarter-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), hosted by Côte d’Ivoire from Jan. 13 to Feb. 11, 2024.

His journey with the Malian national team ended when he was dismissed by Mali’s football body in June 2024, days after his team were held to a goalless draw by 10-man Madagascar in a Group I World Cup qualifier in Johannesburg.

The gaffer will now take over from Austine Eguavoen who has been interim coach of the Super Eagles since Finidi Geroge resigned in June 2024.

Chelle takes over a Nigerian team in a precarious position in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The three-time African champions are currently fifth in Group C of the qualifiers, with just