Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President Ibrahim Gusau has laid down a clear and uncompromising benchmark for Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, tasking him with nothing short of a place in the final.
The 35th edition of Africa’s flagship tournament will be hosted by Morocco from December 21, 2025, bringing together 24 of the continent’s best teams in a fierce battle for supremacy. Nigeria have been drawn into Group C, where they will face Tunisia, Tanzania and Uganda, with their campaign opening against Tanzania’s Taifa Stars on December 23.
With the countdown to kick-off well underway, Gusau has wasted no time in spelling out expectations, setting an ambitious target for Chelle, who took charge of the Super Eagles earlier this year after previously handling Mali.
“The mandate given to Eric Chelle is to get to the AFCON final,” Gusau said in an interview with Eagles FM.
AFCON 2025. Baleba and four other players making their debut
Beyond results, the NFF boss also used the opportunity to restate his hands-off approach to team management, stressing that technical decisions remain firmly in the coach’s domain.
“I will never instruct a coach on which players to invite. Since becoming NFF president, I have never stayed in the same hotel with the national team because I do not want to be a distraction,” he explained.
Nigeria’s hunger for continental glory has been simmering for over a decade. The Super Eagles last lifted the AFCON trophy in 2013, and since then, their journey has been marked by sharp contrasts, a disappointing group-stage exit in 2021 followed by the heartbreak of finishing runners-up at the 2023 edition. Against that backdrop, Gusau’s directive reflects both renewed ambition and the growing weight of expectation surrounding the national team.
Chelle, however, appears undaunted. Since his appointment in January, the Franco-Malian tactician remains unbeaten and has already made headlines with decisive and sometimes controversial squad calls, blending fresh faces with established stars while excluding some familiar names.
He now oversees a gifted roster anchored by the firepower of Victor Osimhen, the midfield steel of Wilfred Ndidi, the creativity of Alex Iwobi, and the defensive reliability of Semi Ajayi and Calvin Bassey. Yet, as history has shown, talent alone rarely satisfies Nigeria’s demanding fanbase.
As Morocco 2025 draws closer, the message from the top is unmistakable: progress is no longer enough. For Eric Chelle and the Super Eagles, only a place in the final will meet the standard.
