Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi has heaped praise on striker Victor Osimhen while calling on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to retain head coach Eric Chelle for the long term.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s third-place playoff against Egypt at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Casablanca, Ndidi described Osimhen as “one of the best strikers in the world”, noting his ability to carry the team and set a benchmark for the entire squad. He added, “Since the coach came, he has made everyone feel they have to reach Osimhen’s standard. He’s a wonderful striker, amazing if he’s in your team. He’s like three strikers in one.”
Ndidi highlighted Osimhen’s impact both offensively and defensively, noting his four goals and two assists in six matches, as well as his key role in pressing opponents. He also acknowledged Osimhen’s leadership, recalling that the Galatasaray star captained Nigeria during the round of 16 victory over Mozambique and in the semi-final against Morocco while Ndidi was suspended.
On the coaching front, Ndidi backed Chelle despite Nigeria’s semi-final exit, stressing the importance of continuity. “For continuity, I feel like they should keep the coach because he is a wonderful manager; the only thing we need in this team is continuity. We should not change things now because we did not make it to the final; we should remain focused because there are so many competitions ahead,” he said.
Chelle, who took charge of the Super Eagles in December 2024, guided Nigeria to the AFCON semi-finals, winning their first five matches before a penalty shootout defeat to Morocco. Ndidi concluded by emphasizing the team’s potential under Chelle’s leadership: “Eric Chelle has made it a team thing. Watch out for this team in the next couple of years.”
This statement underscores Ndidi’s support for both Osimhen’s influence on the pitch and the coach’s leadership as Nigeria looks ahead to future competitions.#newsafro_
