We feel the pressure; we need to go to the World Cup- Nigeria Head Coach

By Emmanuel Austin Baah Last updated Oct 11, 2025

Head coach of Nigeria’s National Men’s Football Team (the Super Eagles), Eric Chelle, says the tremendous pressure on his team is down to the need to not miss out on the FIFA World Cup in back to back editions.

He made this comment ahead of Nigeria’s crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Benin on Tuesday, October 14 at 16:00 GMT in Nigeria.

The Super Eagles’ final World Cup qualifier has Nigeria needing a big win over Group C leaders Benin and for fellow contender South Africa to drop points against Rwanda to qualify to next year’s World Cup.

Benin lead the group with 17 points and a draw or a win against Nigeria qualifies the Squirrels to their first ever World Cup while Nigeria are aiming to avoid missing out on the World Cup for the second qualification phase in a row and Eric Chelle acknowledged the pressure on his team.

Eric Chelle manager / head coach of Nigeria (Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)

“For us we feel the pressure since March, every time my players come to camp, they feel the pressure because for Nigeria and for our team, we need to travel and we need to go to the World Cup” Eric Chelle said according to SABC Sport.

Innocent Nshuti of Rwanda fights for the ball with Calvin Bassey of Nigeria during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifier match between Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Rwanda’s Amavubi, which Nigeria wins 1-0, at Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, (Photo by Adekunle Ajayi/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Nigeria will play against Benin on Tuesday without key player Ademola Lookman. Scroll down to view the full standings in Group C ahead of the final round of games on Tuesday.

Author

Emmanuel Austin Baah

My name is Emmanuel Austin Baah, professionally known as “Okocha”. I am a seasoned Ghanaian journalist, broadcaster and football commentator from Senya Bereku in the Central Region. My work reflects a strong commitment to factual reporting, ethical journalism and the continuous promotion of Ghanaian sports.

I am currently pursuing my studies at Cape Coast Technical University, building on a solid foundation of media practice and communication. I previously served as a sports producer at Radio Gold (90.5) and Montie FM (100.1) in Accra, where I was actively involved in editorial planning, programme production, live commentary and in-depth sports analysis.

Presently, I am a Senior Writer at SportsNetGhana.com, a role in which I produce well-researched features, match reports, athlete profiles and analytical pieces. My work consistently highlights emerging talents, captures key sporting developments and contributes to shaping informed sports discourse in Ghana.

Over the course of my career, I have covered numerous major sporting events both locally and internationally. Among these, the highlight remains my coverage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, a significant milestone that strengthened my expertise in global football reporting and enhanced my understanding of international sports dynamics.

I am widely recognised for my clarity of analysis, engaging commentary style and strong command of both local and global football trends. Beyond the newsroom, I participate in community initiatives aimed at developing young sports journalists and promoting youth engagement in sports.

For professional engagements, media collaborations or enquiries, please contact me on 0265284330.

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