Eric Chelle: The case to remain strengthened by another ringing Super Eagles endorsement

The Super Eagles, led by Eric Chelle, closed the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2025) with a bronze medal, but the feeling around the camp in Rabat was that Nigeria left Morocco as the tournament’s best side.

That view was echoed by Akor Adams, whose penalty helped seal the third-place win over Egypt, as he described Nigeria as the best team at the competition.

When respect speaks louder than words 👏
Coach Eric Chelle receives a standing ovation from Nigerian journalists at the post-match press conference after securing AFCON 2025 Bronze for the Super Eagles 🔥🇳🇬🥉 pic.twitter.com/BAoMLDljBE

— Sports Radio Brila FM (@Brilafm889) January 18, 2026

Speaking after the shootout victory, the Sevilla forward insisted the medal did not fully reflect Nigeria’s dominance across the tournament. “We are the best team. We came here for the gold and didn’t take it, but we are proud of what we achieved,” Adams said. “We won six games, we played our football, and we showed who we are.”

Beyond results, the Sevilla star pointed to the unity within the squad as a lasting gain from AFCON 2025. “Everybody is going home closer to each other. We are grateful to Eric Chelle for what he has done with us in the last three weeks. We are better people because of him,” he added.

Why continuity around Eric Chelle matters for Super Eagles

Chelle’s contract with the Nigeria Football Federation expires at the end of the tournament, but senior players have already made their position clear. Captain Wilfred Ndidi was direct in his assessment, urging the federation to keep faith with the coach beyond AFCON 2025.

“For continuity, I feel they should keep the coach. He is a wonderful manager,” the Besiktas midfielder said. “We should not change things now because we didn’t reach the final. There are many competitions ahead, and continuity is what we need.”

Chelle himself admitted the bronze medal carried personal weight. “If we hadn’t finished third, it would have been difficult to continue as coach,” he said. “There was criticism after the quarterfinals, but the players gave me this gift.”

Nigeria leave AFCON 2025 with proof of identity, depth and direction. With heavy rotation, the Super Eagles played with the same structure, intensity and belief against Egypt, even if a smidge of quality was lacking. These, hallmarks since the start of the tournament, are positive signs to take forward, and undoubtedly recommend the Malian coach for a continued stay.