Nigeria senior men’s national team head coach Eric Sékou Chelle has revealed an ambitious long-term career goal, expressing his desire to become the first African manager to take charge of Spanish giants Real Madrid.
The Malian-born tactician made the bold declaration while speaking about his professional aspirations and future in top-level football management. Chelle stated that managing at the highest echelon of European club football remains a major personal objective, with Real Madrid representing the pinnacle of that ambition.
According to the Super Eagles handler, the dream serves as a powerful motivation behind his continuous growth as a coach and leader, driving him to improve tactically and professionally with every opportunity.
Chelle’s coaching profile has risen sharply in recent times following his impressive work with the Super Eagles. He guided Nigeria to a third-place finish at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, a campaign that further cemented his reputation as one of Africa’s fast-rising coaching figures.
His comments have since generated widespread discussion among football fans and analysts, many viewing the statement as both bold and symbolic of the growing confidence, ambition, and visibility of African coaches on the global stage.
Observers believe Chelle’s upward trajectory with Nigeria, combined with his expanding tactical résumé, could open doors to bigger opportunities in the future, as African managers continue to push for greater representation at elite European clubs.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
