Super Eagles coach Éric Chelle aims to become Real Madrid’s first African manager, after leading Nigeria to bronze at the 2025 AFCON and recovering from heart surgery.

Super Eagles coach Éric Chelle, 48, has stated his ambition to become the first African manager of Real Madrid, expressing the goal in a recent interview with RMC Sport. The Franco-Malian coach, who led Nigeria to a bronze medal at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, emphasized his long-term aspiration to manage Europe’s top clubs. He addressed a reported on-field tension between strikers Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, calling it a minor issue resolved privately. Chelle also confirmed he has recovered from a heart condition diagnosed during the 2023 AFCON, following surgery and a period of treatment.