Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle has said that the team is ready to bring some unexpected results in the last four games of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, even though they have been ruled out of the tournament. The qualifiers are set to take place in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Right now, after six matches, the Super Eagles are in fourth place in Group C with seven points. They are six points behind the group leader, South Africa, who has 13 points.
Chelle has only managed two of the first six matches in this campaign. He won 2-0 against Rwanda in Kigali and drew 1-1 with Zimbabwe in Uyo in March. His previous coaches, Jose Peseiro and Finidi George, each took charge of two matches but didn’t win any.
Although Nigeria is in a tough spot in the group, the Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle on during Monday 25th of August press conference admits that people have already given up on them. But he still believes the team can turn things around.
”Everyone has written us off. But I don’t care about that,” Chelle told Nigerian journalist Osasu Obayiuwana during a conversation at the 2024 CHAN tournament in Tanzania.
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”I’m focused on getting my players ready for the next four matches. I think we’ll make a lot of people surprised.”
The Super Eagles will meet again in Uyo on September 1 for their next two games.
They will host Rwanda on Saturday, September 6, and then travel to Bloemfontein to play South Africa three days later.
After those two matches in September, they will face Lesotho away and the Benin Republic at home in October.
Rwanda and Benin are both ahead of Nigeria in the standings, each with one point more. All three teams are hoping that South Africa will lose three points because they used an ineligible player during their 2-0 win over Lesotho in March.
