Finidi George appointed Super Eagles head coach

Former Nigerian international Finidi George has been named the new head coach of the senior men's national football team, the Super Eagles.

His appointment, as per a statement from the NFF communications department, follows the recommendation of its Technical and Development Committee.

According to excerpts from the statement provided to media outlets in Nigeria, "George, who served as assistant to José Santos Peseiro for 20 months before the Portuguese voluntarily resigned after securing the runner-up position at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire 2023, assumed interim charge of the squad during two friendly matches in Morocco last month."

"Under his interim leadership, the squad defeated Ghana 2-1 in the first match, ending an 18-year winless streak against the Black Stars, but suffered a 0-2 loss to Mali in the second game."

George, a key member of the 'Golden Generation' that clinched the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations title in Tunisia and finished as the second most entertaining team in Nigeria's debut at the FIFA World Cup finals in the USA the same year, boasts 62 caps for Nigeria. He also secured gold, silver, and bronze medals from various AFCON tournaments.

The 52-year-old former Ajax Amsterdam (Netherlands) and Real Betis (Spain) forward began his international career in 1991 and played a pivotal role in Nigeria's qualification for the 1994 FIFA World Cup, where he notably assisted Rashidi Yekini in scoring Nigeria's first-ever World Cup goal against Bulgaria.

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George's immediate task will be to guide the Super Eagles to victory in two 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against South Africa and Benin Republic in Uyo and Abidjan, respectively, in just over five weeks.

These matches are crucial, with the Super Eagles currently trailing behind Rwanda and South Africa in Group C of the African campaign.

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The appointment of George, although unexpected to many Nigerians who had favoured Emmanuel Amuneke, has brought about considerable surprise and discussion.

Additional reporting by the Nigeria Football Federation