Chelle Hails Group Stage Best Coach Recognition at AFCON 2025

Super Eagles head coach Éric Chelle has expressed his delight after being named the Best Coach of the Group Stage at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Chelle earned the accolade following Nigeria’s flawless start to the tournament, guiding the Super Eagles to three straight wins in Group C and the highest goal tally among remaining sides in the group phase.

The Malian strategist dedicated the honour to his backroom staff, praising their hard work behind the scenes. He said the recognition serves as motivation for both himself and his players. “I am happy about this recognition. But I will like to give the credit to my backroom staff who work tirelessly to make the team function… This development is a good motivation for me, the players and the entire squad,” Chelle told thenff.com.

Despite the personal honour, Chelle was quick to emphasise that Nigeria’s focus remains on bigger goals in the competition. “We are here for something bigger and better. We will not get ahead of ourselves and think we are the best. We will continue to work hard and stay focused for every match as it comes,” he added.

Super Eagles winger Ademola Lookman was also recognised in the Group Stage Best XI, underlining Nigeria’s strong performances throughout the opening rounds of AFCON 2025.

Editorial

Recognition in sport is a mirror — one that reflects not only results on the pitch, but the deeper currents that shape a team’s identity. Éric Chelle’s distinction as Best Coach of the Group Stage at the Africa Cup of Nations is rooted in more than an unbeaten record; it is testament to strategic clarity, moral purpose and an evolving footballing culture within the Super Eagles camp.

Chelle’s Nigeria did not simply win they controlled. Three victories in the group phase — each delivered with tactical discipline and a roving attacking threat showcased a side that has learned to balance steel with flair. It is no small achievement to shepherd a national team through the pressures of a major tournament while maintaining both coherence and momentum.

Yet it is perhaps Chelle’s humility that resonates most. In his measured acceptance of the honour, he chose to foreground the work of his backroom staff, eschewing the limelight in favour of collective credit. It is a reminder that football, at its core, thrives not on singular genius but on symbiotic effort the interplay of minds, methods and motivations.

His caveat that this recognition is merely motivation, not destination reveals an astute understanding of tournament psychology. Titles are won by those who resist complacency by those who see accolades not as summits but waypoints.

And as Nigeria prepares for the knockout phase, buoyed by a Best XI inclusion for Ademola Lookman and the trust of a nation, the challenge now is continuity. To transform promise into legacy. For Chelle and his squad, the journey is as critical as its milestones a testament to purpose over praise, and ambition tempered by focus.

Did You Know?

1. Rare Full Mark in Group Stage Nigeria finished the AFCON 2025 group stage with a perfect nine points, one of only two teams alongside Algeria to achieve this feat in the opening rounds.
2. Highest Group Goals Tally The Super Eagles scored eight goals in three games, the most of any team in the group phase.
3. Lookman’s Standing Out Alongside Chelle’s honour, Ademola Lookman was the only Nigerian player selected in CAF’s Group Stage Best XI.
4. Chelle’s Coaching Record Since taking over Nigeria, Chelle has maintained a strong unbeaten run — extending his competitive unbeaten streak since his managerial debut with the Super Eagles.
5. Historic CAF Recognition Being named Best Coach of the Group Phase is notable at AFCON as CAF seldom singles out managers early in the competition unless their side demonstrates clear dominance, underscoring Chelle’s tactical influence.