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Eric Chelle
Éric Sékou Chelle
Éric Sékou Chelle is a football coach and former Mali international defender who became head coach of Nigeria's senior men's national team, the Super Eagles, in January 2025. Previously the head coach of Mali and several clubs in France and Algeria, he was most recently confirmed in the Nigeria role under a renewed arrangement reported in June 2026.
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About Eric Chelle
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Nigeria · Football coach, Former professional footballer · 6 affiliations
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- Football coach
- Former professional footballer
At a glance
- Chelle has served as head coach of Nigeria's Super Eagles since January 2025.
- He previously coached Mali's senior men's national team and led it to the quarter-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
- Before entering coaching, he played as a central defender in France and represented Mali at senior international level.
- A June 2026 announcement also assigned him responsibility for Nigeria's under-23 men's team.
Leadership of Nigeria's national teams
The Nigeria Football Federation endorsed Chelle's appointment as Super Eagles head coach on January 7, 2025. The federation was still identifying him in that role in June 2026, when the National Sports Commission also announced a renewed arrangement and assigned him responsibility for Nigeria's under-23 men's team. The available evidence does not state the renewed contract's duration, compensation or performance conditions.
Playing background
Born on November 11, 1977, in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, Chelle played as a central defender and represented Mali at senior international level. His French club career included Martigues, Valenciennes, Lens, Istres and Chamois Niortais, and he won second-division titles with Valenciennes in 2006 and Lens in 2009.
Club coaching career
Chelle's coaching career included Marseille-Consolat and FC Martigues before he was appointed head coach of US Boulogne in May 2021. After his period with Mali's national team, he returned to club management when MC Oran announced him as head coach in October 2024.
Mali national-team tenure
Chelle became head coach of Mali's senior men's team in 2022. His most prominent tournament result was a quarter-final appearance at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, where host nation Côte d'Ivoire defeated Mali 2-1 after extra time on February 3, 2024.
Affiliations
- Nigeria national football team (Super Eagles) Head coach 2025-01-07–present
- Nigeria national under-23 men's football team (Olympic Eagles) Head coach 2026-06-23–present
- Mali national football team Head coach 2022
- MC Oran Head coach 2024-10
- US Boulogne Head coach 2021-05-21
- FC Martigues Coach 2017–2021
Timeline
- Appointed head coach of US Boulogne.
- Began his tenure as head coach of Mali's senior men's national team.
- Mali exited the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in the quarter-finals after a 2-1 extra-time loss to Côte d'Ivoire.
- MC Oran announced Chelle as its new head coach.
- The Nigeria Football Federation Executive Committee endorsed his appointment as Super Eagles head coach.
- The National Sports Commission confirmed a renewed arrangement for Chelle to remain Nigeria's senior men's coach and assume responsibility for the under-23 team.
Additional verified details
Current context
- Chelle was identified by the Nigeria Football Federation as Super Eagles head coach on June 19, 2026, and the National Sports Commission subsequently said he would remain in charge under a renewed arrangement. This is the latest authoritative or high-quality confirmation located before the August 19, 2026 as-of date; no later contrary official announcement was present in the research set.
- The National Sports Commission said Chelle would also take charge of Nigeria's under-23 men's team. Channels Television reported the Commission's announcement, but the research set did not include a written Nigeria Football Federation contract or formal technical-staff release.
Biographical facts
- He was born on November 11, 1977, in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
- Before coaching, Chelle played as a central defender and represented Mali at senior international level.
- His playing career in France included spells with Martigues, Valenciennes, Lens, Istres and Chamois Niortais.
- As a player, he won France's second-division title with Valenciennes in 2006 and Lens in 2009.
- Before taking senior national-team roles, he coached Marseille-Consolat and FC Martigues; the French Football Federation records his Martigues tenure as running from 2017 to 2021.
- Under Chelle, Mali reached the quarter-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, losing 2-1 after extra time to host nation Côte d'Ivoire.
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