NFF appoints German Bruno Labbadia as new Super Eagles coach

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced the appointment of German tactician Bruno Labbadia as the new Head Coach for the Super Eagles.

Labbadia’s appointment is coming after 73 days since the NFF has maintained a deafening silence on who will take over the rein of leadership in the county’s national football team.

With an official statement issued Tuesday morning, the German is set to be the Men’s senior football team’s 37th coach since the creation of the team in 1949.

This decision was said to be endorsed by the NFF Executive Committee after the recommendation from the Technical and Development Sub-Committee of the federation.

“The NFF Executive Committee has approved the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee to appoint Mr. Bruno Labbadia as the Head Coach of the Super Eagles. The appointment is with immediate effect.”Mohammed Sanusi, NFF General Secretary, affirmed.

However, despite the hush agreement, the NFF has failed to indicate the duration or any other contract details for coach Labbada.

Born 8 February 1966 in Darmstadt, Germany, Labbadia had a distinguished playing career, winning two caps for the German national team and claiming the German Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich in 1994.

He has also coached several prominent teams, including Hertha Berlin, VfB Stuttgart, VfL Wolfsburg, and Bayer Leverkusen, and holds a UEFA Pro Licence.

Labbadia becomes the sixth German to lead the Super Eagles, following in the footsteps of Karl-Heinz Marotzke, Gottlieb Göller, Manfred Höner, Berti Vogts, and Gernot Rohr.

Notably, Höner guided the team to a runner-up finish at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations, while Rohr led Nigeria to the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals in Russia.

Herculean task

Labbadia’s first task will be to prepare the team for two crucial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Benin Republic on 7 September in Uyo and Rwanda on 10 September in Kigali.

With the Super Eagles also in an unpleasant position in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Labbadia will be expected to turn around the national team’s fortunes

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Four additional matches will follow in October and November to conclude the qualifying campaign.

LIST OF SUPER EAGLES’ COACHES IN HISTORY

John Finch (England) – 1949

Daniel Anyiam (Nigeria) – 1954-1956; 1964-1965

Les Courtier (England) – 1956-1960

Moshe Beit Halevi (Israel) – 1960-1961

George Vardar (Hungary) – 1961-1963

Joey Blackwell (England) – 1963 – 1964

József Ember (Hungary) – 1965-1968

Sabino Barinaga (Spain) – 1968-1969

Peter ‘Eto’ Amaechina (Nigeria) – 1969-1970

Karl-Heinz Marotzke (Germany) – 1970-1971; 1974

Jorge Penna (Brazil) – 1972-1973

Jelisavčić ‘Father Tiko’ Tihomir (Yugoslavia) – 1974-1978

Otto Glória (Brazil) – 1979-1982

Gottlieb Göller (Germany) – 1981

Adegboye Onigbinde (Nigeria) – 1983-1984; 2002

Chris Udemezue (Nigeria) – 1984-1986

Patrick Ekeji (Nigeria) – 1985

Paul Hamilton (Nigeria) – 1987; 1989

Manfred Höner (Germany) – 1988-1989

Clemens Westerhof (Netherlands) – 1989-1994

Amodu Shaibu (Nigeria) – 1994-1995; 1996-1997; 2001-2002; 2008-2010

Johannes Bonfrere (Netherlands) – 1995-1996; 1999-2001

Philippe Troussier (France) – 1997

Monday Sinclair (Nigeria) – 1997-1998

Bora Milutinović (Yugoslavia) – 1998

Thijs Libregts (Netherlands) – 1999

Christian Chukwu (Nigeria) – 2002-2005

Augustine Eguavoen (Nigeria) – 2005-2007; 2010; 2022

Berti Vogts (Germany) – 2007-2008

Lars Lagerbäck (Sweden) – 2010

Samson Siasia (Nigeria) – 2010-2011; 2016

Stephen Keshi (Nigeria) – 2011-2014; 2015

Sunday Oliseh (Nigeria) – 2015-2016

Gernot Rohr (Germany) – 2016-2021

José Peseiro (Portugal) – 2022-2024

Finidi George (Nigeria) – 2024

Bruno Labbadia (Germany) – 2024-?