In a breaking development, the Nigeria Football Federation has named former Super Eagles winger Finidi George as the new head coach of the nation’s senior men’s national team.
The decision, announced via a statement on Monday, follows the approval of the NFF Board, based on the recommendation of its Technical and Development Committee. Finidi George, a 52-year-old former Ajax Amsterdam and Real Betis forward, steps into the role after serving as an assistant to the outgoing José Santos Peseiro for 20 months.
George took on the interim coach position following Peseiro’s departure after the Super Eagles’ impressive run to the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.
During his interim tenure, George led the team in two friendly matches in Morocco last month. The team secured a historic 2-1 victory against Ghana, ending an 18-year winless streak, but faced a setback with a 0-2 loss to Mali.
Describing George’s football legacy, the NFF statement highlighted his integral role in the ‘Golden Generation’ that won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations and represented Nigeria in the FIFA World Cup finals in 1994 and 1998. George earned 62 caps for Nigeria and contributed to the nation’s successes in various tournaments.
Notably, George assisted Rashidi Yekini in scoring Nigeria’s first-ever FIFA World Cup goal against Bulgaria in 1994.
As the new head coach, George faces the immediate challenge of leading the Super Eagles to victory in two crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against South Africa and the Benin Republic. These matches are deemed must-win encounters, as the Super Eagles currently trail behind Rwanda and South Africa in Group C of the African campaign.
