How well has Super Eagles improved under Chelle as Nigeria prepare for Portugal test?

When Eric Chelle was appointed head coach of the Super Eagles, not a few eyebrows were raised as he was the first non-Nigerian African to take charge of the former AFCON kings, Afrik-Foot reports.

Since then, the Malian tactician has been hard at work and the results have been largely positive. While the failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup remains a painful chapter, there is little doubt that the team has made noticeable progress since the former Mali coach took charge in January 2025.

When Chelle arrived, Nigeria were struggling for consistency and confidence. Results were uneven, performances lacked identity, and the team often depended heavily on a handful of star players. Nearly 18 months later, the Super Eagles look far more organised, competitive, and difficult to beat.

Super Eagles’ improvement: The numbers and performances

One of the clearest signs of progress has been Nigeria’s impressive record in normal playing time. Under Chelle, the Super Eagles have gone 24 consecutive matches without suffering a defeat within 90 minutes, recording approximately 16 victories and eight draws.

The only setbacks during that period came in penalty shootouts in major knockout matches. Nigeria lost the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoff final to DR Congo on penalties after regulation time failed to separate both teams. A similar fate followed in the semi-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations against Morocco.

Despite those disappointments, the Super Eagles enjoyed several encouraging moments. At AFCON 2025 in Morocco, Chelle guided Nigeria to a third-place finish. The team produced strong displays against some of Africa’s top sides and eventually defeated Egypt on penalties in the bronze-medal match.

Terem Moffi Scoresheet 📝

3 👕
2 ⚽️
2 🅰️

Back with a bang 🤯! pic.twitter.com/TA6JmFSV4L

— 🇳🇬 Super Eagles (@NGSuperEagles) June 4, 2026

Nigeria have also won back-to-back Unity Cup titles in London under Chelle, who’s contract expires in January. The most recent success came in May 2026 when an experimental Super Eagles side defeated Jamaica 3-0 in the final.

That squad depth has become one of Chelle’s biggest achievements. Rather than relying on a fixed starting eleven, the former Lens defender has expanded Nigeria’s player pool significantly. More than ten players have received senior international debuts during his tenure, including Akor Adams, Femi Azeez and Abdullahi Bewene.

The approach has increased competition for places across the pitch and ensured that Nigeria remain competitive even when key stars such as Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman are unavailable.

Tactically, the transformation has also been obvious. Previous Super Eagles teams were often criticised for direct long-ball football. Chelle has introduced a more structured possession-based system that focuses on building attacks from the back, controlling matches, and maintaining shape without the ball.

Even so, the World Cup qualification failure remains the biggest blemish on his record. Although Chelle collected 14 of the 18 available points after taking over the qualification campaign, the damage done before his appointment proved too much to overcome. A costly draw against Zimbabwe ultimately forced Nigeria into the playoffs, where the Super Eagles fell short against DR Congo.

Chelle explains why new faces are key to Nigeria’s future

Ahead of Nigeria’s friendly match against Portugal, Chelle has defended his decision to continue introducing new players into the national team setup.

The coach used the Unity Cup in London, as well as the friendlies against Poland and Portugal, to assess several fresh faces, including dual-nationality talents.

According to Chelle, the strategy is part of a long-term plan to improve the Super Eagles following a detailed review of the team’s performances over the last year.

“We have analysed our game over the past year and have tried to bring in players who can help the team grow,” Chelle said to the Super Eagles media team. We need to improve because, for me and for everyone, it is often the smallest details that make the difference between being the best team and winning a trophy.”

Nigeria’s Unity Cup-winning squad featured several players who were relatively unknown at international level. Among those handed opportunities were goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo and winger Femi Azeez.

Chelle believes the introduction of younger players can help strengthen competition within the squad and provide fresh ideas as the rebuilding process continues.

“So we have to improve because we analyse everything,” he added. “I think we have to bring in some young players who can bring a new mentality and something new.”

The 48-year-old was quick to clarify that the current squad already possesses a winning mentality. Instead, he sees the new additions as players capable of complementing an already committed group.

“It is not a question about only mentality because the group has mentality to win but we need to put something fresh,” Chelle explained.

The Super Eagles coach also backed the hunger of the newcomers to raise standards throughout the squad.

“You know some players will come with a lot of energy. They will bring, for sure, 100% because they want to win, they want to improve, and the national team can provide this for them.”

Nigeria drew 2-2 with Poland in their most recent international friendly and will now face Portugal next Wednesday at the Estádio Municipal de Leiria in Leiria. The match offers another opportunity for Chelle’s evolving Super Eagles side to show just how far they have progressed under his leadership.