Wilfred Ndidi Urges NFF To Retain Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle

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Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi has appealed to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to keep head coach Éric Chelle at the helm following Nigeria’s resilient campaign at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The future of the Malian coach remains uncertain after Nigeria’s narrow semi-final defeat to Morocco in Rabat. While Chelle has expressed his willingness to continue leading the team, the final decision rests with the NFF, which had outlined clear objectives for him prior to the tournament.

“All I want is for us to keep the coach. Continuity is important at this stage,” Ndidi told reporters during a media briefing on Friday.

The Super Eagles are now focused on the third-place playoff against Egypt at 5:00 PM on Saturday, aiming to end the tournament on a high note after their penalty shootout heartbreak against the Atlas Lions.

Reflecting on the semi-final, winger Ademola Lookman admitted the match had been a grueling test of both physical and mental strength.

“It was a tough game. We played 120 minutes, and losing on penalties makes it even harder,” Lookman said, praising Morocco’s composure and quality. “At the end of the day, it came down to penalties.”

Lookman added that he was still coming to terms with the semi-final disappointment and had yet to focus fully on the clash with Egypt.

“To be honest, I haven’t really thought about it yet, because of the disappointment,” he admitted.

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