Eric Sekou Chelle, the former Mali national team coach, has quickly become a frontrunner for the head coach position of the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
This has led to his inclusion alongside three other foreign coaches shortlisted by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) executive committee.
Chelle, born in France, has also been linked to the vacant coaching position for the United States national team, one of the co-hosts for the 2026 World Cup, similar to the renowned Herve Renard.
However, French club FC Metz has shown interest in securing his services. Meanwhile, there is significant pressure from the Mali national team players to have Chelle reinstated as their coach, following a substantial revolt where the players insisted on his return or threatened to boycott playing for the national team.
At 46 years old, Chelle brings a wealth of experience from his playing days, where he captained RC Lens at the peak of their success in the French Ligue 1. His tenure as Mali’s coach has been described as “magical” by former Liverpool and PSG star Mohamed Sissoko, who praised Chelle’s positive impact on the team.
Despite the pressure from Mali to bring him back, sources close to Chelle have indicated that he is unlikely to return as their coach. Instead, he is very interested in the Super Eagles job and has reportedly mapped out comprehensive plans to rejuvenate the Nigerian team.
“He knows our players, he has all his plans mapped, and he knows what he will do to get them flying again,” revealed a Nigerian credible source close to Chelle.
