NFF appoints Bruno Labbadia as Super Eagles head coach

German tactician Bruno Labbadia has been appointed as the new head coach of Nigeria’s men’s national football team, the Super Eagles, according to SportsRation.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) made the announcement on Tuesday, marking the end of a lengthy search for a new manager to lead the former African champions.

In an official statement, the NFF confirmed that Labbadia has officially taken up the role. “The Nigeria Football Federation has reached an agreement with German tactician Bruno Labbadia to become the Head Coach of Nigeria’s Senior Men’s National Team, the Super Eagles,” the statement read. NFF General Secretary Dr. Mohammed Sanusi added, “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, effective immediately.”

The Super Eagles have been without a permanent head coach since former Ajax winger Finidi George's short tenure came to an end.

Labbadia, a former striker, had a distinguished playing career with clubs such as FC Kaiserslautern, Werder Bremen, and Bayern Munich. He won the DFB-Pokal with FC Kaiserslautern and the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich, and also earned two caps for Germany before retiring in 2003.

After hanging up his boots, Labbadia transitioned into coaching, managing several top German clubs, including Bayer Leverkusen, Hamburger SV, and Wolfsburg. His most recent managerial role was with VfB Stuttgart, where he was appointed in December 2022 but was dismissed in April 2023 following the team's drop to the bottom of the Bundesliga table.

Labbadia will now lead the Super Eagles in their upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Benin and Rwanda next month.