Nigeria head coach Éric Chelle has opened up about his future with the national team after their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations semi-final exit at the hands of hosts Morocco.
The Super Eagles came into the tournament with question marks after failing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite the Malian unbeaten after assuming his role mid-way through the qualification campaign.
But they hit peak form in Morocco, with several commanding displays, five victories en route to the last four, scoring 14 goals. But against the Atlas Lions – they came unstuck, losing 4-2 on penalties after the game finished 0-0 after 120 minutes.
Chelle has been linked with the vacant Tunisia head coach role and reportedly several club’s have made enquiries about his services with his long-term future unclear with the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF).
“My future? Now I don’t know – I know something, I am the coach of Nigeria and maybe in a few days my President will tell me it’s finished for you, or maybe you have to continue, I don’t know – for now I try to analyse this game, this AFCON,” Chelle said.
“We have our last game against Egypt. I am proud of my players but I am disappointed for them because the reality is… we were maybe the best team in the AFCON, maybe.
“So we go out with pride. Now the question of my situation? The AFCON is not finished, we have to focus on the third [-place] game and we have to win this game.”
Having reached the quarter-finals of AFCON with Mali in 2023, the 48-year-old has gone one step further with the Super Eagles, in a job that has been turbulent since day one, and reports of non-payment over few months has also been a factor in the instability.
“I’m a fan of the Super Eagles national team for many years, this job is very important to me – but you know I’m not the boss.
“I just try to do my job and the tournament is not finished, we have a last game and after, normally I will have a meeting with the NFF and decide something,” Chelle went further when probed if he’d like to continue in his current role.
“But me now actually, I am the coach of Nigeria and if nobody tells me you have to stop, I am here, so after the AFCON – I will talk for sure with many people and we will take a decision together.”
