Nigeria’s head coach, Eric Chelle has made it clear that the Super Eagles are travelling to Moscow with one goal in mind — victory.
As Nigeria prepares to face Russia in an international friendly at the Luzhniki Stadium on Friday, Chelle has cited his commitment to winning and sustaining the momentum gained from their Unity Cup triumph.
“We want to win every game going forward. It’s never easy to play outside your country, so every match counts,” Eric Chelle said.
“This is also a chance to show the state of mind of the team — we want to return home with a win.”
Despite facing a raft of squad changes due to injuries and withdrawals, the former Mali boss insists that his team is building a winning mentality, one that doesn’t depend on location, opponent, or circumstance.
Shaping a New-Look Super Eagles: Chelle’s Core Message
The Russia friendly is the next phase in Chelle’s rebuilding project with the Super Eagles, and the Franco-Malian tactician is not holding back on his expectations.
This came days after guiding the Super Eagles to a Unity Cup title win against Jamaica, a match he described as pivotal in revealing his tactical identity and the team’s adaptation to his vision.
After Nigeria’s Unity Cup final win over Jamaica, Chelle confirmed that his players have begun to embrace a new football identity based on aggression, high pressing, and intensity.
“A major lesson is that we need to work and we need to improve,” he said.
“It’s not easy playing outside the country, but this friendly is a good avenue to show our mindset. We want to return to Nigeria with a win.”
The gaffer highlighted ball recovery high up the pitch and intensity off the ball as core attributes of the new-look Nigeria side.
Against Jamaica, the Super Eagles pressed aggressively and controlled large portions of the game which are signs of what Chelle believes is just the beginning.
“Did you see that we want to get the ball back high on the pitch? Did you see the intensity my players made in this game?”
Russia Test a Crucial Step Toward World Cup and AFCON Goals
With Nigeria sitting in a difficult position in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying group, Eric Chelle has stated that every game (friendly or competitive) is an opportunity to sharpen their approach and strengthen belief.
The Super Eagles are expected to field a mix of established names like Victor Boniface and William Ekong, alongside emerging talents such as Benjamin Fredericks and Olakunle Olusegun (a Russian international player).
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