The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has officially named Finidi George as the new head coach of the Super Eagles, Nigeria’s senior men’s national football team. This appointment was announced on Monday after the NFF Board unanimously approved the recommendation from its Technical and Development Committee.
After serving as interim coach during a transitional phase, renowned former winger Finidi George, who played for Real Betis and Ajax Amsterdam, assumes this post. José Santos Peseiro left the team after leading the Super Eagles to the finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire, and his promotion follows his departure.
Before briefly taking over as leader, 52-year-old George worked as Peseiro’s assistant for 20 months. In his brief tenure as acting coach, he guided the group through two exhibition games in Morocco earlier this month. Under his direction, Nigeria triumphed over Ghana 2-1 to snap an 18-year losing run, although they later lost 0-2 to Mali.
In a statement, the NFF praised George for his significant contributions to Nigerian football as a coach and player. George is a member of Nigeria’s “Golden Generation,” which won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia. He also played a significant role in Nigeria’s memorable 1994 FIFA World Cup debut, as they finished as the second-most entertaining team in the USA. Throughout his career, George won 62 caps for Nigeria and competed in the FIFA World Cups in 1994 and 1998.
In addition, the federation’s publication brought back memories of one of George’s most memorable moments: helping Rashidi Yekini score Nigeria’s first-ever FIFA World Cup goal on June 19, 1994, in a Dallas match against Bulgaria. His athletic career was further set apart by his achievements across several AFCON tournaments, where he secured gold, silver, and bronze medals in the years 1992, 1994, 2000, and 2002.
As Finidi George takes on total team responsibility, he will likely confront formidable obstacles in the future. His first priority will be getting the Super Eagles ready for their two FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against the Republic of Benin and South Africa in 2026. Within the next five weeks, these games are slated to take place in Uyo and Abidjan, respectively. These next games are crucial, according to the NFF, because the Super Eagles are now third in Group C of the African qualifiers, behind South Africa and Rwanda.
The NFF emphasized the significance of the approaching qualifiers while expressing high trust in George’s ability to lead the national team back to its previous success. Many believe that Finidi George’s arrival as coach will energize the Super Eagles and drive them on to achieve their goal to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. George brings with him not only a rich legacy as a former player but also a new viewpoint as a coach. His hiring ushers in a new era for Nigerian football, one that balances a forward-thinking approach to coaching and team building with a reverence for the country’s football history.
