Confirmed: Ex-Bayern Munich striker Bruno Labbadia appointed as new Super Eagles head coach

The Nigeria Football Federation has confirmed the appointment of German tactician and former Bayern Munich striker Bruno Labbadia as the new head coach of the Super Eagles.

 The position has been vacant since the resignation of former Nigeria international Finidi George in June,  who was only in charge as a substantial coach for just two games, which were the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Benin.

With the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, the NFF needed to appoint a new head coach as a replacement for George.

After a lot of back and forth on who will be the new lead tactician for the three-time AFCON champions, the Nigerian football governing authority has decided to appoint Labbadia.

The announcement was made via a statement from the 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."

Labbadia will be the 37th head coach of the Super Eagles and the sixth German tactician who will be in charge of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations finalist.

As a player, he wore the colours of Darmstadt 98, Hamburger SV, FC Kaiserslautern, Bayern Munich, FC Cologne, Werder Bremen, Armenia Bielefeld and Karlsruher SC.

The 58-year-old started his coaching career in his native country in 2003 with Darmstadt 98, followed by spells with Greuther Fürth, Bayer Leverkusen, Hamburger SV, VfB Stuttgart, VfL Wolfsburg and Hertha BSC.

He is set to make his bow when Nigeria play host to Benin at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, in the first 2025 AFCON qualification game.

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
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 (Nigeria) – 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-

Abdulkareem Abdulhamid

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