Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle has struck a calm, confident and deeply emotional note ahead of Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 semi-final showdown against hosts Morocco, scheduled for Wednesday evening at 9pm.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Chelle began by indicating the scale of the occasion while acknowledging both Nigeria’s momentum and the quality of the opposition.
“No, this is a big game, semi-final. We played our last game against Algeria. It was a good game for us, now a big game against a big team.”
The Nigerian coach revealed that the Super Eagles were still fine-tuning preparations, with a final training session scheduled ahead of kick-off.
“So we will enter slowly in this game because we have a last training session today. We will be ready for tomorrow.”
“I’m Disappointed for Him” – Eric Chelle on Ndidi’s Absence
Chelle confirmed that Nigeria will be without captain Wilfred Ndidi, admitting his disappointment but is strongly confident in the depth of the squad.
“I’m disappointed for him because he brings so much for the team, but we are a group.”
He stressed that opportunities now exist for other players to step up.
“There are some players, some very good players who are on the pitch and wait for a change to show something that they can bring us.”
“So I’m very confident about that. So I just have to make a choice between some players and everything will be fine.”
“Every Game Is the Biggest Test”
When asked whether Morocco represents Nigeria’s toughest challenge of the tournament, Chelle dismissed the idea of ranking fixtures, insisting the pressure remains constant and shared his approach to each match.
“Algeria was the biggest test. Morocco is the biggest test. Every game is the biggest test for this team because the expectation is so big.”
“We are ready for this game, for all of these games that we play in this tournament.”
“We try to play every game like the last, and we will give everything, and we gave everything.”
“So now, like I said just earlier, I have to check my players, how they are physically, because we play two days before, so we have to rest.”
“After, I will judge how is my team, and we can think about the game plan.”
Fitness, Recovery and Game Plan
With Nigeria having played Algeria just two days earlier, Chelle revealed that physical assessment would dictate his final tactical decisions.
“Now, like I said just earlier, I have to check my players, how they are physically, because we play two days before, so we have to rest.”
“After, I will judge how is my team, and we can think about the game plan.”
Eric Chelle Said Alex Iwobi Has “Very Good Football IQ”
Chelle reserved glowing praise for Alex Iwobi, describing him as a player with exceptional intelligence and love for the game.
“When I took this job, the reality, I was a fan of this national team since maybe the World Cup in France in 1998.”
“I bought my jersey, every time I travelled to watch the game, so I was a fan, and every time when this national team played, I watched the game.”
“So Alex was a guy who, I didn’t know this guy before because I watched this game in Fulham and in the national team, and for me, he is a player who has an IQ, very, very, very, very good.”
The coach highlighted Iwobi’s footballing instincts and joy on the pitch.
“Some players just want to play football, they want to take some pleasure on the pitch, they want to play with other footballers who smell the football, who feel the football, and Alex is a player like that.”
“You can tell him, okay, run during one hour, two hours, he will do everything, but he is very happy when he plays with other footballers, so I have the chance to have a group like that.”
“Everybody wants to play football, so for me, it’s more easy for that because, I just try to put them in the best way, in the best game project, so this is my job, but I’m very happy what he did and what he will do.”
“I’m so proud of him.”
YouTube Diaries: “Very, Very Good for the Group”
Asked about the Super Eagles’ viral AFCON YouTube diaries, Chelle revealed he fully supports the initiative, seeing it as a morale booster.
“About the channel, no, you know, we are in tournament every day, this is the same day, and we have to keep our motivation, and for that, to stay focused at 100 percent.”
“Sometimes you have to think during one hour about other things, the football.”
“So, for the players, it’s good, because they are together and they have to put their minds outside, and this channel is great for them, it’s great for us.”
He even admitted to watching the content himself.
“Me too, you know, after the game, you know you are happy because you win, you are happy during five minutes, because you think after for the next game.”
“So you can take two or three minutes per day to watch his channel and laugh with everybody, but it’s very good for the group, very, very good.“
Financial Questions: “I Have No Money”
When questioned about financial preparedness and bonuses, Chelle gave a blunt and honest response.
“Financially, I don’t know, because I don’t pay the players, I have no money.”
Chelle’s most powerful words came when speaking about the emotional state of the squad and what the tournament already means to him.
“Emotionally, like we said, me and Alex, we don’t know what happens after this game, if we win or if we lose, because this is the football.”
Yet, regardless of the outcome, he insists he already feels victorious.
“Like I said, I’m so proud of my players.”
“They are together, we love together, we are happy together, we suffer together, and like Alex said, we are family.”
“So me now, I already win, because I will go out this tournament with the 28 brothers.”
“I’m very happy about that. They have my respect and I have their respect, so this is the best winning for me.”
He added emotionally:
“Every day when I wake up, when I see their smile in their face, once again, this is the best present for me.”
“I just want to try to give my best for them, and I just want that they can win this trophy.”
Penalties? “We Work Every Training Session”
On preparations for a possible penalty shootout, Chelle confirmed that spot-kicks are part of Nigeria’s routine work.
“So the coach can answer you and tell you that we work every training session some penalty.”
In summary, Chelle addressed the magnitude of the encounter, squad fitness concerns, Wilfred Ndidi’s absence, expectations, pressure, penalties, finances, team unity and mentality, making it clear that belief, togetherness and preparation remain his strongest weapons.
