'Nigeria was my favourite team' — Chelle reveals how he supported Super Eagles at France 98

New Super Eagles head coach Eric Sekou Chelle has revealed the origins of his undying love for the Nigerian national team. 

When the 47-year-old was first linked with the job last year, it surfaced that despite being Malian, he was a fan of Nigerian football. He was named the new Super Eagles boss on January 7th, and today, he was officially unveiled by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) in Abuja. 

Speaking at his first presser as coach of the Nigerian men's first team, he addressed most of the basics. He expressed his excitement to take on the role, informed fans what to expect from his stint in charge, and expressed his determination to qualify the Super Eagles for the World Cup. 

Something in particular stood out from the former MC Oran head coach’s first media appearance, as he went into details about how he developed interest and, subsequently, love for the Super Eagles.

Chelle was already a professional football player during the France 98 World Cup. He played for Martigues, a club in the lower rungs of French football. Hence, he was in the country during the tournament. 

The former defender explained that he was in the stands, donning the legendary Nigeria France 98 World Cup jersey, and cheering the Super Eagles. 

“When I was young, Nigeria was my favourite team,” Chelle told reporters. “I bought the jersey and watched every game. During the World Cup in France, I was in Marseille watching the matches. This is my team. I want to be in it’s history.”

Chelle's first test would be the World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe on March 17th and 21st, respectively. Winning both games will put Nigeria back on track, as they currently find themselves 5th in a group of six.