The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced the appointment of German tactician Bruno Labbadia as the new Head Coach of the Super Eagles.
The 57-year-old Labbadia, who has previously coached top German clubs like Hertha Berlin and VfB Stuttgart, takes over the reins of the three-time African champions with immediate effect.
Labbadia’s appointment was confirmed by NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, in the early hours of Tuesday. “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,” Sanusi said.
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Born in Darmstadt, Germany, Labbadia had a distinguished playing career, winning two caps for Germany and triumphing in the German Bundesliga with Bayern Munich in 1994. He holds a UEFA Pro License and has coached several top German clubs, including VfL Wolfsburg, Hamburger SV, and Bayer Leverkusen.
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. Höner led the Eagles to a runner-up finish at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations, while Rohr qualified and led Nigeria to the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals in Russia.
New Super Eagles coach Bruno Labbadia (Photo credit: Getty Images)
Labbadia’s immediate challenge is to prepare the Super Eagles for two crucial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Benin Republic and Rwanda next month. The German tactician will also oversee four other qualifying matches in October and November as Nigeria seeks to secure a spot at the continental showpiece.
The appointment of Labbadia has raised eyebrows, given his lack of experience in African football. However, his impressive coaching credentials and experience in the highly competitive German Bundesliga make him an attractive choice for the Super Eagles.
Labbadia begins his tenure and Nigerian football fans will be eagerly watching to see if he can replicate the success of his predecessors and lead the Super Eagles to glory on the continental stage.
