The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has officially appointed German Bruno Labbadia as the new Head Coach of Nigeria’s Senior Men National Team, the Super Eagles.
This announcement came after the NFF’s Executive Committee approved the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee, as confirmed by the NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, in the early hours of Tuesday.
“The NFF Executive Committee has approved the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee to appoint Mr. Bruno Labbadia as the Head Coach of the Super Eagles. The appointment is with immediate effect,” Dr. Sanusi stated.
Born on February 8, 1966, in Darmstadt, Germany, Labbadia brings a wealth of experience to the Super Eagles.
He enjoyed a successful playing career in Germany, representing clubs such as Darmstadt 98, Hamburger SV, FC Kaiserslautern, Bayern Munich, FC Cologne, Werder Bremen, Arminia Bielefeld, and Karlsruher SC. Labbadia earned two caps for the German national team, Die Mannschaft, and won the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich in 1994.
Labbadia’s coaching career has been equally notable, having managed top Bundesliga teams like Hertha Berlin, VfB Stuttgart, VfL Wolfsburg, Hamburger SV, and Bayer Leverkusen. He also holds a UEFA Pro License, the highest coaching certification in European football.
With his appointment, Labbadia becomes the sixth German coach to take the helm of the Super Eagles, following in the footsteps of Karl-Heinz Marotzke (1970-1974), Gottlieb Göller (1981), Manfred Höner (1988-1989), Berti Vogts (2007-2008), and Gernot Rohr (2016-2021).
Notably, Höner guided the Super Eagles to a runner-up finish at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations, and Rohr led the team to the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Labbadia’s immediate task is to prepare the Super Eagles for two crucial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches. The team will face Benin Republic on Saturday, September 7, in Uyo, and Rwanda on Tuesday, September 10, in Kigali. These matches are part of a six-game qualifying campaign that will continue through October and November.
The Super Eagles have a rich history of coaches from various nationalities. The team has seen leadership from England’s John Finch (1949) and Les Courtier (1956-1960), Israel’s Moshe Beit Halevi (1960-1961), Hungary’s George Vardar (1961-1963), Brazil’s Otto Glória (1979-1982), and more recently, Portugal’s José Peseiro (2022-2024).
From 1949 to the present, the Nigerian national team has had a diverse array of coaches, reflecting its rich football heritage. Nigerian coaches have also made significant contributions, including Daniel Anyiam (1954-1956; 1964-1965), Stephen Keshi (2011-2014; 2015), and Finidi George (2024).
