“I truly believe it” -Éric Chelle optimistic about Nigeria’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Newly appointed Super Eagles coach, Éric Sékou Chelle, is confident he can lead the three-time AFCON winners to a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Soccernet.ng reports.

Nigeria are currently 5th in their World Cup qualification group, four points behind the Republic of Rwanda, Benin Republic and South Africa. The Super Eagles resume their journey to the USA, Mexico and Canada in March when they’ll take on Rwanda and Zimbabwe.

Speaking at his official unveiling as the head coach of the Super Eagles at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja, Chelle highlighted the quality of the Nigerian team is enough to earn a spot in the largest footballing competition in the world.

“This is an amazing opportunity for me. I’m so proud to take on this role and coach the most populous Black nation in the world. Our Super Eagles have the chance to qualify for the World Cup, and I truly believe it. We need to establish better management structures and adopt effective techniques. We must be aggressive and focused,” the 47-year-old said in quotes revealed by Brila.

African Cup of Nations Quarter final: Ivory Coast vs Mali 2024 February 03 2024: Eric Chelle Mali // during a African Cup of Nations Quarter final game, Ivory Coast vs Mali, at Stade de la Paix, Bouake, Ivory Coast. Kim Price/CSM Credit Image: Â Kim Price/Cal Media Bouake Bouake Ivory Coast EDITORIAL USE ONLY Copyright: xx ZUMA-20240203_zma_c04_643.jpg KimxPricex csmphotothree230248. [Photo Credit/ Imago].

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Additionally, the former Mali head coach revealed his style of football, alongside his love for the Super Eagles and plans for the African giants.

“I love attacking football, this is my philosophy. Football is about scoring goals. When I was young, Nigeria was my favourite team. I bought the jersey and watched every game. During the World Cup in France, I was in Marseille watching the matches. This is the team, my team. I know the expectations of the Nigerian people, and I am ambitious. I want to win. I’m here to make things right,” the ex-Lens defender concluded.

Chelle kick-starts his journey as the head coach of the Super Eagles by taking up a supervisory role with the home-based Nigerian team as they prepare for the 2024 CHAN tournament.

Adefolahan Guerreiro

Adefolahan is a multilingual journalist and writer at Soccernet Nigeria. With a track record of involvement in College sports, Adefolahan is focused on crafting engaging football content and utilising his language skills and extensive sports knowledge to enhance content accessibility for a global audience. He has interviewed Nigerian stars like Finidi George, Junior Lokosa, and Abraham Onahi Ogbu.

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