AFCON 2025: Eric Chelle Draws Lessons From Mali Heartbreak to Steady Super Eagles

Nigeria senior head coach Éric Chelle has revealed the key lessons he has taken from his painful experience with Mali at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as he leads Nigeria into this year’s tournament in Morocco.

Chelle was in charge of Mali at the last AFCON and came agonisingly close to reaching the semi-finals before suffering a dramatic collapse against hosts Côte d’Ivoire.

Despite the Ivorians playing most of the match with 10 men, they equalised in the 90th minute and went on to score the winner early in extra time, ending Mali’s campaign in heartbreaking fashion.

Reflecting on that experience, Chelle explained how it has shaped his approach with the Super Eagles at AFCON 2025, particularly in terms of focus, composure and game management.

“Since this AFCON started, I’ve tried to be more focused, more concentrated and more calm,” Chelle said during his pre-match press conference on Sunday.

“I try to analyse during the game and after the game, and I also try to forget about what is happening around the team and around me.”

The Malian tactician stressed that maintaining emotional balance is central to his coaching philosophy and long-term project.

“As I always say, this is my philosophy and my project. I try to stay focused and calm, and these are the lessons I have learned,” he added.

Chelle was cautious about overstating the advantage of past experience, noting that preparation and readiness on the day remain decisive.

“I don’t know if it is an advantage, but the reality is there will be two teams on the pitch,” he said. “The question is whether my team will be ready for the fight. For now, we are fully focused on Mozambique.”

Nigeria face Mozambique in the Round of 16, with Chelle determined to ensure that the Super Eagles avoid the kind of late collapse that haunted him at the previous edition and instead translate their strong group-stage form into progress in the knockout rounds.

Samuel Ahmadu

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.

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