The newly appointed Super Eagles coach, Bruno Labbadia, is set to receive a 40-man provisional squad list ahead of the crucial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
This list, already submitted to the Confederation of African Football to meet the required deadline, includes invitation letters that have been dispatched to the players’ respective clubs.
Labbadia, a former manager of VfB Stuttgart, was officially unveiled as the head coach of Nigeria’s national football team on Tuesday morning.
At 58 years old, the German tactician steps in to fill the role vacated by Austin Eguavoen, the Nigeria Football Federation’s Technical Director, who had been on standby to lead the team until the final squad announcement.
Labbadia’s immediate challenge will be to narrow down the 40-man provisional list to a final 23-man squad, tasked with securing Nigeria’s qualification in the upcoming AFCON matches.
The Super Eagles are scheduled to face Benin Republic in Uyo on Saturday, September 7th, before traveling to Kigali to take on Rwanda on Tuesday, September 10th.
Born in Darmstadt, Germany, on February 8, 1966, Labbadia boasts an impressive footballing pedigree. His playing career included stints with top German clubs such as Bayern Munich and Hamburger SV, while his coaching résumé features teams like Hertha Berlin, VfL Wolfsburg, and Bayer Leverkusen.
Labbadia is the sixth German to take charge of the Super Eagles, and he brings with him a UEFA Pro License, along with a wealth of experience that the NFF hopes will lead Nigeria to success in the upcoming qualifiers and future competitions.
The NFF has a rich history of international coaches guiding the Super Eagles, with Labbadia joining a long list of distinguished predecessors.
This list includes names like Clemens Westerhof, who famously led Nigeria to their first-ever World Cup in 1994, and Gernot Rohr, who managed the team from 2016 to 2021.
Labbadia now steps into this legacy, with the weighty responsibility of not only qualifying Nigeria for the 2025 AFCON but also restoring the Super Eagles’ status as one of Africa’s footballing giants.
The provisional squad submitted to CAF weeks in advance reflects the meticulous planning by the NFF, and Labbadia’s task will be to evaluate the players’ form, fitness, and suitability for his tactical setup before making the final selections.
With just weeks to go before the qualifiers, all eyes will be on Labbadia and the decisions he makes as he embarks on this new chapter in Nigerian football.
The Super Eagles’ coaching history spans decades, with a blend of local and international expertise shaping the team over the years.
The list of past coaches includes figures like Daniel Anyiam, who led the team in the 1950s, and modern legends like Stephen Keshi, who guided Nigeria to their third AFCON title in 2013. As Labbadia takes the helm, there is renewed hope that he can add his name to the roll of successful Super Eagles coaches.
List of Super Eagles’ coaches in history:
John Finch, England – 1949
Daniel Anyiam, Nigeria – 1954-1956; 1964-1965
Les Courtier, England – 1956-1960
Moshe Beit Halevi, Israel – 1960-1961
George Vardar, Hungary – 1961-1963
Joey Blackwell, England – 1963 – 1964
József Ember, Hungary – 1965-1968
Sabino Barinaga, Spain – 1968-1969
Peter ‘Eto’ Amaechina, Nigeria – 1969-1970
Karl-Heinz Marotzke, Germany – 1970-1971; 1974
Jorge Penna, Brazil – 1972-1973
Jelisavčić ‘Father Tiko’ Tihomir, Yugoslavia – 1974-1978
Otto Glória, Brazil – 1979-1982
Gottlieb Göller, Germany – 1981
Paul Hamilton, Nigeria – 1987; 1989
Manfred Höner, Germany – 1988-1989
Clemens Westerhof, Netherlands – 1989-1994
Amodu Shaibu, Nigeria – 1994-1995; 1996-1997; 2001-2002; 2008-2010
Johannes Bonfrere, Netherlands – 1995-1996; 1999-2001
Adegboye Onigbinde, Nigeria – 1983-1984; 2002
Chris Udemezue, Nigeria – 1984-1986
Patrick Ekeji, Nigeria – 1985
Paul Hamilton, Nigeria – 1987; 1989
Manfred Höner, Germany – 1988-1989
Clemens Westerhof, Netherlands – 1989-1994
Amodu Shaibu, Nigeria – 1994-1995; 1996-1997; 2001-2002; 2008-2010
Johannes Bonfrere, Netherlands – 1995-1996; 1999-2001
Philippe Troussier, France – 1997
Monday Sinclair, Nigeria – 1997-1998
Bora Milutinović, Yugoslavia – 1998
Thijs Libregts, Netherlands – 1999
Christian Chukwu,bNigeria – 2002-2005
Augustine Eguavoen Nigeria – 2005-2007; 2010; 2022
Berti Vogts Germany – 2007-2008
Lars Lagerbäck Sweden – 2010
Samson Siasia, Nigeria – 2010-2011; 2016
Stephen Keshi, Nigeria – 2011-2014; 2015
Sunday Oliseh, Nigeria – 2015-2016
Gernot Rohr, Germany – 2016-2021
José Peseiro, Portugal – 2022-2024
Finidi George, Nigeria – 2024
Bruno Labbadia, Germany – 2024 –
