Nigerian football legend Segun Odegbami has backed Eric Chelle’s Super Eagles project, saying Nigeria would have been among the teams to watch at the FIFA World Cup if they had qualified under the Franco-Malian coach — SuperEaglesNG.com reports.
Odegbami shared his assessment in his Vanguard column titled “2026 FIFA World Cup: So Far, So Dramatic! A New Super Eagles!” published on June 27, 2026. In the article, the former Nigeria captain praised the progress of the national team under Chelle and highlighted the emergence of new talents around the squad.
The 1980 Africa Cup of Nations winner said the Super Eagles, with Chelle in charge and a growing group of talented Nigerian players being monitored across Europe, would have been one of the teams capable of making an impact at the World Cup.
Segun Odegbami Praises Eric Chelle Super Eagles Development
Odegbami’s comments came as Nigeria continues to assess the direction of the national team under Eric Chelle.
The former Green Eagles captain has praised the coach’s approach, especially his focus on identifying young players and building a squad for the future.
According to Odegbami, Nigeria has the individual quality required to compete with top football nations, but the team needs proper planning, continuity and support to reach its full potential.
Eric Chelle Builds New Super Eagles Generation
Since taking charge of the Super Eagles, Eric Chelle has worked on improving team organisation while bringing more players into the national team setup.
Odegbami also pointed to the number of Nigerian talents emerging across Europe as part of the country’s future football prospects.
The former Nigeria captain’s comments have added to discussions about the future direction of the Super Eagles and Chelle’s role in rebuilding the team.
