Iwobi praises Chelle’s transformative impact on Super Eagles

Alex Iwobi has hailed Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle as the driving force behind Nigeria’s revived World Cup hopes, crediting the Malian tactician for instilling belief and unity within the squad.

Chelle, appointed in January as the first non-Nigerian African to lead the national team, has gone unbeaten in six competitive matches, recording four wins and two draws.

Speaking in an interview with the BBC, the Fulham midfielder described Chelle as more than just a coach.

‘He’s such a great man. We almost don’t see him as like a manager, but like a big brother. He’s created a big brotherhood. You see him on the touchline. He gets heated, he’s literally trying to fight for us. It motivates us, that we want to play not just for Nigeria but for him as well,’ Iwobi said.

Iwobi emphasized Chelle’s ability to inspire resilience, noting that the manager constantly reminds the players of their capacity to overcome adversity.

The Super Eagles have responded with renewed energy and focus, culminating in a dominant 4–0 win over Benin that secured their place in the World Cup playoffs.

Addressing fans who have expressed frustration over the team’s earlier performances, Iwobi acknowledged the rocky start to the qualifying campaign.

‘It wasn’t the greatest of starts,’ he admitted. ‘But they also need to understand we all have the same goal. I understand when they’re disappointed because we are very disappointed in not winning games comfortably or winning against teams that maybe we should have.’

Despite the criticism, Iwobi remains confident in the squad’s potential.

‘We feel like on any day, if we give 100%, and we’ve got the players to do so, that we can beat any team. But there’s one thing saying it, we have to prove it.’