Eric Chelle has emerged as the new head coach of the Nigeria Super Eagles. From his private to professional life, here are 6 facts about the new Super Eagles boss.
Mixed Parenthood
Eric Chelle was born to an Ivorian father and a Malian mother. He strongly identify with his maternal side. Other discrete details of his early life is unavailable.
He is a former Mali international
Chelle was free to choose either Cote D’Ivoire or Mali for his national team career. He ditched Ivory Coast and decided to play for the Eagles of Mali.
He won 5 caps with the Malian national team playing for two years from 2004 to 2006.
He played as a defender during his playing careerÂ
Eric Chelle played as a defender for both club and country. While struggling at the national scene, he was a scoring defender, netting 11 goals in 345 appearances across different clubs.
He groomed his career in FranceÂ
Eric Chelle started his career in France, playing for lower division clubs in the French League. He started at Martigues, moved to Valenciennes, then to Lens, and Istres and Carmon Niortais.
He reached the last eight of 2023 AFCON
Chelle took the Eagles of Mali to the Quarterfinals of the 2023 AFCON as head coach where he lost to the hosts and eventual winners Cote D’Ivoire.
He was sacked as Mali head coach
Despite his 2023 AFCON heroics, Chelle was sacked as Mali head coach due to the team’s poor performance in the ongoing 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.
The Nigeria national team is the second national team he will manage after the two-year spell with Mali.
