AFCON 2025: Eric Chelle Admits Pressure Ahead of Super Eagles’ Clash With Mozambique

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has openly admitted that he is under pressure to deliver victory when Nigeria face Mozambique in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Round of 16 encounter.

Speaking at a pre-match press conference, the Malian tactician, however, made it clear that the pressure has not distracted his team, stressing that the Super Eagles remain fully focused on what lies ahead.

Chelle dismissed any comparison between Nigeria’s current campaign and the painful 2021 AFCON exit, where the Super Eagles crashed out in the Round of 16 despite winning all their group matches.

“Since I started this job, I’ve been feeling a lot of pressure. This isn’t about the NFF. It’s about the officials, the group, and me,” Chelle said.

“Every game, we want to be ambitious. We are thinking about the next game.”

The coach explained that the hunger to succeed comes from within the team rather than external expectations, adding that calmness, unity, and belief define the squad’s mindset.

“We want to win the next game. If God gives us the opportunity to reach the quarterfinals, we will focus on the quarterfinals,” he added.

“Now we are thinking about the game against Mozambique, and we definitely want to win that game. Yes, we are under pressure.”

Nigeria impressed in the group stage with a perfect record, raising expectations among fans and pundits alike. While memories of the 2021 AFCON still linger, Chelle insists his side is not burdened by the past.

“I don’t focus on what happened before. We’re always focused on what happens each day,” he said.

“We concentrate on our training sessions, the life of the group, how the players behave, and on ourselves.”

Opinion: Chelle’s honest admission of pressure may actually work in Nigeria’s favour. Rather than shy away from expectations, the coach appears to be embracing them, framing the challenge as a shared responsibility within the squad. His refusal to dwell on past failures signals a psychological reset — something the Super Eagles have often lacked in high-pressure knockout games.

Mozambique may arrive as underdogs, but AFCON history has repeatedly shown that no game is straightforward. For Nigeria, the real test will be turning confidence into composure. If Chelle’s focus-on-the-moment philosophy translates onto the pitch, the Super Eagles could finally break the Round-of-16 curse and take a decisive step toward continental glory.