Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle says he remains fully confident that Nigeria will secure their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting that his mission has not changed since taking charge in January.
Speaking to Mighty George ahead of Nigeria’s decisive qualifier against Lesotho, the coach made it clear that belief and focus remain central to the Super Eagles’ pursuit of a World Cup ticket, Footballrover reports.
“Our Focus Is Only Lesotho” — Eric Chelle Keeps Eyes on the Prize
Chelle spoke with composed determination, reflecting on the team’s journey so far and the fine margins that have defined the qualifying campaign.
“Looking for my word because I need to be very clear with you. When I signed in January, it was for the World Cup, you know, and from the first day until now, I always think that we can go to the World Cup, even if anything happens.”
Despite dropped points earlier in the campaign, the Super Eagles have stayed within touching distance of qualification.
Chelle emphasised that the team’s progress has been built on consistency, resilience, and belief rather than chance.
“So last week, I didn’t wake up and say, ‘Oh, they (South Africa) dropped three points, so we can go now. And you can ask the players. We work. We did sometimes a great job. We did sometimes just a draw. But the reality is we didn’t lose, and we created this chance.”
The message from the coach is simple — stay grounded, stay focused, and win the next game.
“This is football. So now we have two games, and our only thinking is this game — Lesotho — win this game.”
Chelle’s Calm Confidence as Nigeria Chase Qualification
The Super Eagles’ qualification path remains tight, but Chelle’s mindset shows no panic.
The coach repeatedly stressed that his players must concentrate on the task at hand rather than calculations or permutations.
“And after, like you say, maybe, but you did the mathematics, and you do and you will do again. So after, we can maybe become the mathematics guys. But the reality is, we are focused on this game.”
“And after this game, we will see. The only thing that we need to think about is the group, the players, the game project, the plan project, the game plan, and then our philosophy—and especially our state of mind. After the game, we’ll see what happens. But the reality, we are focused about this game and only this game.”
For Chelle, the philosophy is clear: every game must be treated with respect, regardless of the opponent’s standing.
“This is the game. In football, you can’t predict anything. You need to respect everybody, anybody, because we have this example. Everybody in this group thought that South Africa would go to the World Cup. So now they dropped three points, and now everybody can go to the World Cup.”
He added a reminder that football’s unpredictability is part of its beauty — and that discipline will decide who qualifies.
“So this is football. Everything can happen during the game — because of the weather, because of the referee, because of anything, because of injury. So we need to stay focused on what we want for this game. We want to have this victory. And after, there will be another game. So for sure.”
Nigeria’s World Cup campaign is now filled with tension and a narrow escape storyline.
After drawing crucial matches earlier in the qualifiers, the Super Eagles now have no room for error in these must-win games.
Be the first to comment on "“I Came for the World Cup” — Eric Chelle Confident of Leading Super Eagles to Qualification"