In a significant development for Nigerian football, former Super Eagles winger Finidi George has been appointed as the new head coach of the nation’s senior men’s national team.
This decision, announced by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Monday, follows the endorsement of its Technical and Development Committee.
George, a 52-year-old former player for Ajax Amsterdam and Real Betis, previously served as an assistant to outgoing coach José Santos Peseiro.
He took on the role of interim coach after Peseiro’s departure following the Super Eagles’ impressive performance in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
During his interim tenure, George oversaw two friendly matches in Morocco, where the team secured a historic 2-1 victory against Ghana but suffered a 0-2 loss to Mali.
The NFF statement reads, “George, a member of the so-styled ‘Golden Generation’ that won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Tunisia and emerged as the second most entertaining team in Nigeria’s debut at the FIFA World Cup finals in USA the same year, won 62 caps for Nigeria, including featuring at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cup finals.”
The statement commemorating George’s appointment as the new head coach of Nigeria’s senior men’s national team also paid tribute to his esteemed playing career.
It underscored George’s remarkable achievements, including securing gold, silver, and bronze medals from the 1992, 1994, 2000, and 2002 AFCON tournaments.
Additionally, the statement fondly recalled one of George’s defining moments when he assisted Rashidi Yekini, may he rest in peace, in netting Nigeria’s inaugural FIFA World Cup goal against Bulgaria in Dallas, USA, on June 19, 1994.
The newly appointed Super Eagles boss faces an immediate challenge as he prepares to lead the team in two pivotal 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against South Africa and the Benin Republic.
Set to take place in Uyo and Abidjan within the next five weeks, these matches are deemed must-win encounters, as emphasized by the Nigeria Football Federation statement.
With the Super Eagles currently trailing behind in third place in Group C of the African campaign, behind Rwanda and South Africa, securing victories in these upcoming fixtures is imperative for the team’s advancement in the competition.