The Super Eagles have entered a new era as Malian tactician Eric Chelle begins his reign as the new national team coach of Nigeria.
The 47-year-old former Mali coach becomes the 37th manager of the Super Eagles following his appointment by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Tuesday, January 9.
According to ESPN, Chelle makes history as the first non-Nigerian African to coach the Super Eagles after taking over the role from Austine Eguavoen who held the post on an interim basis.
The former Mali international has been mandated by the NFF to ensure the Super Eagles qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite having a poor start in the qualifiers.
As Chelle steps into his role as the Super Eagles' head coach, Legit.ng takes a look at the history of coaches who have handled the Nigeria senior national team in the past.
Trailblazers of the Super Eagles
The history of Super Eagles coaching began in 1949 with John Finch, an Englishman, who laid the foundation.
Nigerian football legend Daniel Anyiam followed, serving in two separate terms (1954–1956, 1964–1965), establishing the country’s presence in international football.
Meanwhile, England's Les Courtier (1956–1960) and Israel’s Moshe Beit Halevi (1960–1961) built on this momentum, helping shape the team’s early identity.
A global appeal to foreign coaches
As Nigerian football developed, the team benefited from the knowledge of coaches from a variety of backgrounds.
Hungary's George Vardar (1961-1963) and József Ember (1965-1968) introduced European discipline, while Brazilian Jorge Penna (1972-1973) and Otto Glória (1979-1982) added flair to Nigeria's style of play.
The impact of these foreign coaches paved the way for Nigeria's rise in African football.
The Golden era: Westerhof and beyond
The 1980s and 1990s are regarded as a golden era for Nigerian football.
Clemens Westerhof (1989-1994) is remembered as the architect of Nigeria's 1994 Africa Cup of Nations win and first World Cup qualification.
Dutchman Clemens Westerhof; first man to qualify #Nigeria for the World Cup.
— Oluwashina Okeleji (@oluwashina) May 3, 2022
Only man to complete the AFCON medals haul with the Super Eagles.
9️⃣0️⃣🥈
9️⃣2️⃣🥉
9️⃣4️⃣🥇 https://t.co/6a20ybjE6w pic.twitter.com/ihabEMKdwZ
Compatriot, Johannes Bonfrere, carried the legacy by leading Nigeria’s Dream Team to Olympic gold in 1996. During this time, Nigerian coaches like Adegboye Onigbinde and Christian Chukwu made lasting contributions.
Trials and triumphs of modern coaches
The 21st century saw a mix of local and foreign coaches at the helm. Gernot Rohr (2016–2021) brought stability to the team, leading them to the 2018 World Cup and a third-place finish in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
✒️ It's official!
— Soar Super Eagles (@SSE_NGA) May 27, 2020
Gernot Rohr until December 2022 🤝🏽 pic.twitter.com/2kQNlKMh3q
Legendary players turned coaches like Stephen Keshi and Samson Siasia also contributed, with Keshi famously winning the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations as coach.
