The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has officially appointed German tactician Bruno Labbadia as the Head Coach of Nigeria’s Senior Men’s National Team, the Super Eagles. The announcement was made early Tuesday by NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, who confirmed that the Executive Committee approved the recommendation of the Technical and Development Sub-Committee to appoint Labbadia. His appointment is effective immediately.

Born in Darmstadt, Germany, on February 8, 1966, Labbadia brings a wealth of experience to the Super Eagles. As a player, he earned two caps for the German national team and had an illustrious career with clubs including Bayern Munich, Hamburger SV, and Werder Bremen. He won the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich in 1994.

Labbadia’s coaching career is equally impressive, with stints at top clubs such as Hertha Berlin, VfB Stuttgart, VfL Wolfsburg, and Bayer Leverkusen. He holds a UEFA Pro License, one of the highest coaching qualifications in football.

Labbadia becomes the sixth German to lead the Super Eagles, following in the footsteps of Karl-Heinz Marotzke, Gottlieb Göller, Manfred Höner, Berti Vogts, and Gernot Rohr. Notably, Höner led Nigeria to a runner-up finish at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), while Rohr guided the team to the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Labbadia’s immediate task is to guide the Super Eagles through two crucial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches. The team will face Benin Republic on Saturday, September 7th, in Uyo, followed by a match against Rwanda on Tuesday, September 10th, in Kigali. These matches are part of a series of six qualifiers that will conclude in October and November.

The Super Eagles have been placed in Group D for the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, alongside Benin Republic, Libya, and Rwanda. Benin Republic recently defeated Nigeria in a 2026 World Cup qualifier, adding extra significance to their upcoming encounters. The AFCON qualifiers will begin in September and conclude in November 2025, with the tournament scheduled to take place from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.