The board of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has given its nod to the recommendation of its Technical and Development Committee, appointing Finidi George as the Head Coach of the Super Eagles.
George’s appointment follows his interim stint leading the squad during recent friendly matches in Morocco, where the team showcased a mixed performance.
During his interim tenure, George guided the Super Eagles to a notable victory against Ghana, ending an 18-year winless streak against the Black Stars with a 2-1 win.
However, the team faced a setback in their subsequent match against Mali, suffering a 0-2 defeat.
George, a member of the so-styled ‘Golden Generation’ that won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Tunisia and emerged as the second most entertaining team in Nigeria’s debut at the FIFA World Cup finals in the USA the same year, won 62 caps for Nigeria, including featuring at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cup finals. He also won gold, silver, and bronze medals from the 1992, 1994, 2000, and 2002 AFCON tournaments
The 52-year-old former Ajax Amsterdam (The Netherlands) and Real Betis (Spain) forward, who made a scoring debut for the fatherland in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Burkina Faso at the National Stadium, Lagos on 27th July 1991, also featured for Calabar Rovers and Sharks FC in the domestic scene before heading to Europe.
He assisted Rashidi Yekini (of blessed memory) to score Nigeria’s first-ever FIFA World Cup goal against Bulgaria in Dallas, USA on 19th June 1994.
George had scored the goal that took Nigeria to that FIFA World Cup debut, when he put Nigeria ahead against hosts Algeria in a crucial qualifier in Algiers on 8th October 1993. The match eventually ended 1-1 and earned Nigeria a ticket to the finals in America.
George’s immediate task will be to guide the Super Eagles to victory in two 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against South Africa and the Benin Republic in Uyo and Abidjan respectively, in a little over five weeks.
With Nigeria currently trailing in third place in Group C of the African campaign, the upcoming matches are must-win encounters.
George’s leadership will be pivotal as the Super Eagles aim to secure victory and boost their chances of qualifying for the prestigious FIFA World Cup tournament.
