Éric Chelle, who was brought in to revive Nigeria’s qualification hopes, remains in charge despite the disappointment. His side drew 1-1 with DR Congo before losing 4-3 on penalties in the CAF play-off final in November 2025.
Nigerian officials confirmed in June that Chelle would continue as Super Eagles head coach and would also oversee the country’s U-23 team. His attention now turns to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign and efforts to establish greater stability within Nigeria’s national-team structure.
Chelle’s continued stay comes amid a major coaching turnover among teams that competed at the 2026 World Cup, with 17 national sides set to appoint new coaches in the aftermath of the tournament.
Some departures had been planned before the competition, while others followed disappointing results or the completion of short-term contracts.
One of the most notable changes came in France, where Didier Deschamps ended his 14-year tenure after the World Cup. His departure had been announced before the tournament, with Zinedine Zidane subsequently appointed as his successor on July 28.
Ghana also experienced a change involving Carlos Queiroz. The Portuguese coach, appointed in April, guided the Black Stars to the Round of 32 before they lost 1-0 to Colombia. He initially left after his short-term mandate expired but was reappointed by the Ghana Football Association on September 2.
Several other long-serving coaches also left after their teams completed their World Cup campaigns.
Roberto MartÃnez departed Portugal following their Round of 16 defeat to Spain and was replaced by Jorge Jesus, while Zlatko Dalić ended his long spell with Croatia and was succeeded by former national-team coach Slaven Bilić.
Mexico also entered a new era after Javier Aguirre’s tenure ended, with former assistant Rafael Márquez taking over as head coach. Scotland similarly appointed Sébastien Pocognoli to replace Steve Clarke.
Jordan coach Jamal Sellami stepped down after his team’s historic World Cup debut ended with three defeats. The Jordan Football Association subsequently appointed former Morocco coach Badou Zaki on a one-year contract.
Australia provided an exception to the coaching turnover, with Tony Popovic remaining in charge of the Socceroos after signing an extension before the World Cup. He is contracted through the 2027 Asian Cup.
Results also contributed to several departures. Ronald Koeman stepped down as Netherlands coach after the Oranje were eliminated by Morocco on penalties in the Round of 32, while Miroslav Koubek left Czechia by mutual agreement following a disappointing group-stage campaign.
Senegal dismissed Pape Thiaw after their Round of 32 defeat by Belgium and later appointed former France international Patrick Vieira in August.
Belgium, meanwhile, reached the quarter-finals but still opted for a change, with Rudi Garcia’s contract not renewed. The Belgian federation subsequently appointed Mark van Bommel on a two-year deal running through UEFA Euro 2028.
The changes highlight the different reasons national teams alter their coaching structures after a major tournament, ranging from planned succession and expired contracts to poor results and decisions to begin a new cycle.
Post a Comment