Strategic Trip: Nigerians hail Super Eagles coach's Euro tour to meet Iwobi, Ndidi & Simon

The new Super Eagles coach, Eric Chelle, has begun his European tour to connect with key players, including Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, and Moses Simon, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. 

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) appointed Chelle last month, and he is using this tour to strengthen team bonds and discuss his tactical plans for the upcoming matches against Rwanda and Zimbabwe1.

Chelle's European tour began in France with Nantes winger Moses Simon, then continued to England to meet Fulham’s Alex Iwobi and Leicester City’s Wilfred Ndidi. 

The Super Eagles and NFF confirmed Chelle’s meetings with the players on social media, posting photos with the message: 

“Head coach Éric Chelle and first assistant Hedi Taboubi visited some Super Eagles players ahead of the crucial FIFA World Cup qualifiers.”

After his European tour, Chelle will return to Nigeria to finalise preparations with the domestic Super Eagles squad. 

These upcoming qualifiers are crucial for Nigeria, who are currently in fifth place in Group C of the African qualifiers, where only the group winners will advance to the 2026 World Cup.

Before this tour, Nigerian players across Europe, including Alex Iwobi, Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman have continued to put up impressive performances, which served as a positive prelude to Chelle's tenure. 

The likes of Osimhen and Lookman, before his recent injury, have been in top form alongside Ndidi, who marked his return to action with a fantastic display against Manchester United in the Emirates FA fourth-round tie at Old Trafford.

Nigerians and Super Eagles supporters are looking forward to seeing what effect Chelle’s strategic visit to Europe will have on the team when they return to action next month. 

Their reactions to Chelle’s visit paint a positive picture, with comments like ‘This is good” and “These are very senior and disciplined players who in my view should be part of a leadership group in the Super Eagles!”