Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle minced no words as he dismissed speculations about a return to the Mali national team, pointing to an experience that left him feeling disrespected.
Speaking after the Super Eagles’ third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, Chelle said;
“Mali is my country, my mother is from Mali. But I was humiliated there, in front of the world.”
Chelle’s contract with the Nigerian Football Federation is set to expire following the tournament, making questions about his future inevitable, particularly after the progress overseen under his watch.
Chelle was responding to a question from a Malian journalist, who asked whether a return as head coach of the Eagles of Mali is possible. While acknowledging his deep personal ties, he made it clear that his previous experience remains a barrier to any potential return.
The former Mali coach did not elaborate on the circumstances surrounding his departure, but stressed that the humiliation remains unresolved. For now, Chelle appears fully focused on the Super Eagles of Nigeria, leaving fans and pundits to speculate about his next move.
After missing out on automatic qualification, the Super Eagles fell short in the playoff clash against DR Congo, losing 4-3 on penalties in what many believed was a surmountable hurdle.
Despite an impressive record of 11 wins, seven draws, and no defeats in regulation time across 18 matches, 11 wins, 7 draws, 0 losses in official games, boasting an unbeaten record in regulation time in all 18 matches, Nigeria’s failure to reach the World Cup and their AFCON Semi-final exit to hosts Morocco slightly complicate the overall assessment of his tenure.
Eric Chelle’s future with the Nigerian national team remains uncertain, with the NFF yet to indicate whether continuity is on the table. What is clear, however, is that Chelle has made peace with where he is, and with where he refuses to return.
