By Daily Sports Nigeria on January 17, 2026

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has admitted his disappointment at missing out on the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final but insists his team remains focused on winning the bronze medal, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the final were dashed following their penalty shootout defeat to Morocco in Wednesday’s semi-final, consigning the Eagles to Saturday’s third-place playoff against Egypt.

Speaking during the pre-match press conference, the France-born coach acknowledged the setback whilst stressing that morale within the camp remains high.

“To be honest with you, I’m disappointed to be here. I had great ambitions for this tournament,” Chelle said.

The 47-year-old revealed that efforts have been intensified to raise the spirits of the players, highlighting the mutual encouragement between the squad and technical crew.

“After we lost to Morocco, I told my players to keep their heads up because they had a great tournament,” he added.

“My players have also told me to do the same as we focus on Saturday’s game.”

Despite the disappointment, Chelle remains determined to end the tournament on a positive note.

“The African Cup (of Nations) is not finished. We have to stay focused on the next game, and we have to win this game,” he stated.

Nigeria will face Egypt in Casablanca as they seek to extend their unbeaten run in third-place playoff matches to nine.

Source Punch Ng

Posted January 17, 2026

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