Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president Ibrahim Gusau has praised the Super Eagles’ improvement under head coach Eric Chelle, pointing to the team’s attacking output and the emergence of young talents as key positives from their AFCON campaign.

Chelle, who assumed the role in January 2025, guided Nigeria to a third-place finish at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, with the Super Eagles avoiding defeat in regulation time throughout the tournament.

Reviewing the team’s performance, Gusau highlighted Nigeria’s goal-scoring exploits and defensive solidity as evidence of progress, despite falling short of lifting the trophy.

"After the conclusion of AFCON, despite the fact that we did not win the trophy, we basically happened to be the highest goal-scoring team in the tournament," Gusua said. 

"As well as the only team that did not lose a match apart from those penalty kicks. That shows that there is improvement in the team."

The Super Eagles scored 14 goals at the tournament (eight in the group stage and six in the knockout rounds) to finish as the competition’s top scorers. 

They also kept clean sheets throughout the knockout phase, conceding just four goals in the group stage to rank among the best defensive sides.

Gusau also commended the Federal Government for its backing of the national team, describing the support through the National Sports Commission as crucial to the team’s progress.

"We must commend the government for its support through the national sports commission because that is the beauty of working together," he added. 

"Once, you are able to collaborate and make sure that at least you face a common goal of achieving certain results you will definitely achieve it. So, it has paid a lot and we are assuring Nigerians that going forward, this is just the beginning."

Beyond the results, the NFF president highlighted the inclusion of younger players in the squad during the tournament as part of a long-term strategy to gradually phase out the aging members of the team.

Gusau explained that plans to test more young players in friendly matches were disrupted by the team’s playoff commitments but assured that opportunities would come in subsequent international windows.

"The most important thing is the discovery of some new young talents. There are more still coming because you know what even makes us have some issues even in trying to introduce more of the young players is that we intend to have some quality friendly matches during the November window, unfortunately, we have to go to the playoffs," Gusau revealed. 

"So, if not for the playoffs, we intend to give the coach the opportunity to try some new young players at those friendly matches that we intend to play in November

"It is not always easy for a coach to invite just a player and introduce him into that kind of big tournament but going forward we have the March window. 

"I think we are still going to give him an opportunity to bring some new young players that will be injected into the team. So Nigerians should expect more from the team and the coach."

During the tournament, the Malian tactician handed competitive debuts to young prospects Salim Fago Lawal, who recently joined Viktoria Plzen, and Tochukwu Nnadi, who has just completed a move to Olympique Marseille.