Revealed: What Eric Chelle's replacement at Mali said about Nigeria's World Cup chances

• The Super Eagles of Nigeria are braced for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Rwanda and Zimbabwe
• Head manager Eric Chelle faces must-win games arsenic his archetypal 2 matches successful complaint of the Nigerian nationalist team
• Chelle's replacement astatine Mali has shared his thoughts astir Nigeria's existent concern successful the qualifier

Mali nationalist squad caput manager has charged Eric Chelle and the Super Eagles that it is simply a indispensable for Nigeria to suffice for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Nigerian Football Federation appointed Eric Chelle successful January arsenic the archetypal non-Nigerian African to negociate the squad and his large work was to crook astir the World Cup qualifying campaign.

Eric Chelle coached Mali to the quarter-final astatine AFCON 2023. Photo by MB Media.
Source: Getty Images

Nigeria are connected the brink of missing retired connected consecutive World Cups aft accumulating conscionable 3 points from the opening 4 games and beryllium precariously successful 5th place.

Jose Peseiro was successful complaint erstwhile Nigeria drew the opening 2 games against Zimbabwe and Lesotho successful November 2023, portion Finidi George drew South Africa and mislaid to Benin Republic.

Now is the crook of Eric Chelle to look Rwanda and Zimbabwe successful a bid to resuscitate the country's World Cup qualifying run starting with the archetypal 2 games.

The Eagles volition look the Amavubi astatine the Amahoro National Stadium successful Kigali, earlier hosting the Warriors astatine the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.

As seen connected Super Eagles' X account, Chelle named a 23-man squad for some games, downsizing it from the archetypal 39-man provisional squad.

Saintfiet tasks Super Eagles

Mali nationalist squad caput manager Tom Saintfiet has admitted that it volition beryllium bittersweet for African shot if the champion squad successful Africa, Nigeria, bash not suffice for the 2026 World Cup.

He labelled Nigeria arsenic the champion squad successful Africa with the astir talented squad extent during an interrogation with AySuga Naija Lifestyle's YouTube page.

“It volition beryllium bittersweet if the strongest squad successful Africa don't qualify. The Super Eagles are currently, not lone now, the past three, 4 years, the champion squad successful Africa,” Saintfiet said.

The manager claimed it is simply a conflict for Nigeria to sanction a 23-man squad arsenic they can conveniently telephone up 46 players, who are susceptible of dominating Africa.

“It volition beryllium a large disappointment, a large shock, if Nigeria don't suffice with these potential, with these prime players,” helium added.

Tom Saintfiet coached the Gambia astatine AFCON 2023. Photo by Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP.
Source: Getty Images

Saintfiet replaced Chelle erstwhile the erstwhile Mali planetary was relieved of his duties past twelvemonth aft a mediocre commencement to the FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.

He sees Nigeria qualifying contempt their mediocre commencement and besides noted that South Africa are champion placed to suffice among the teams who are associated apical of Group C with 7 points each.

Why Nigeria indispensable suffice for 2026 WC

Legit.ng reported that Osimhen explained wherefore Nigeria indispensable qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup arsenic the state cannot spend to miss retired connected consecutive World Cups.

Considering the property scope of the existent radical of Super Eagles players, lone a fewer of them volition beryllium disposable for the nationalist squad successful 2030 if Nigeria qualify.

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Source: Legit.ng