Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle has emphasized the need for continued improvement if Nigeria is to revive their faltering 2026 World Cup qualification hopes.
Speaking ahead of Friday’s international friendly against Russia in Moscow, Chelle acknowledged that while recent results have been encouraging, there is still significant work to be done.
“We have an important goal in September. So I saw this as an opportunity to give many players a chance to show what they can do. And I’m really happy and proud of them because, in just two or three training sessions, they worked really hard. That’s the reality,” Chelle said.
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The friendly against Russia will be the Super Eagles’ third in two weeks, following wins over Ghana and Jamaica in London, which earned them the Unity Cup title. Despite the positive momentum, Chelle insists the team cannot afford to be complacent.
“During the Unity Cup, we scored goals, we created chances, and we showed some very good things in our game. But of course, we still need to work. We have weaknesses. We need to improve, to step up as a group and as a team, especially if we want to qualify for the World Cup.”
Chelle, who took charge of the team in January, is tasked with leading Nigeria to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final in Morocco and rescuing their World Cup qualifying campaign, which has seen the team slump to fourth in Group C with just seven points — six behind leaders South Africa.
“The most important thing for me is that we play together — both in defence and offence. We need to improve all the time, mentally and physically. We must become warriors on the pitch,” the Franco-Malian tactician added.
The 47-year-old began his tenure with a win and a draw in March’s qualifiers, but Nigeria’s path to the 2026 World Cup remains uncertain. With four matches left to play, Chelle’s men face a critical stretch in September and October. They will host Rwanda and travel to South Africa in September before concluding the group stage away to Lesotho and at home to Benin Republic in October.
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