'I want to coach Real Madrid' - Chelle dreaming of managing Mbappe at Bernabeu

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle || Image credit: Imago

'I want to coach Real Madrid' - Chelle dreaming of managing Mbappe at Bernabeu

Hassan Abdulsalam 21:29 - 09.02.2026

Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle has revealed his dream of managing Real Madrid.

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has revealed an ambitious long-term goal that extends far beyond international football, stating that managing Real Madrid would represent the ultimate peak of his coaching career.

Eric Chelle, Super Eagles coach . || X
Eric Chelle, Super Eagles coach . || X

What Chelle said

The Malian-born tactician, who currently leads Nigeria’s national team, shared his aspiration during an interview with French outlet RMC Sport, where he expressed his desire to break new ground for African coaches at the highest level of European football.

“My dream is to become the first African coach to manage Real Madrid,” Chelle said, describing the Spanish giants as the ultimate benchmark for success in world football.

Chelle’s growing confidence follows an impressive showing at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, where he guided the Super Eagles to a third-place finish.

The achievement has boosted his reputation on the continental stage and sparked conversations about the increasing influence of African tacticians in elite coaching circles.

Beyond his future ambitions, Chelle also reflected on his AFCON experience with Nigeria, addressing squad management challenges and dismissing reports of internal tensions involving star forwards Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen.

Chelle clarified that the incident was caused by a serious medical condition rather than exhaustion.

“I was suffering from atrial fibrillation during the tournament. My heart rate was constantly around 200 beats per minute. I was under medical supervision and on medication, but I experienced dizziness and fainting spells throughout the AFCON,” he explained.