Nigeria Hires German Coach Bruno Labbadia to Revive Flagging World Cup Qualifying Campaign
In a bid to turn around its struggling World Cup qualifying campaign, Nigeria has appointed German coach Bruno Labbadia as the new head of its men’s national soccer team. The 58-year-old Labbadia, who has been out of work since April 2023, took charge of the team on Tuesday, with the appointment effective immediately.
"The appointment is with immediate effect," said Mohammed Sanusi, the general secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). This marks a new chapter for the Nigerian national team, which is currently second from bottom in its 2026 World Cup qualifying group, having failed to win any of its opening four games.
Labbadia has a wealth of experience in European club football, having coached Hertha Berlin, Wolfsburg, Hamburger SV, Bayer Leverkusen, and Darmstadt. As a player, he was a goal-scoring forward who helped Bayern Munich and Kaiserslautern win Bundesliga titles in the 1990s.
His predecessor, Finidi George, who was promoted to the top position in April, was unable to improve the team’s fortunes in World Cup qualifying. George oversaw a 1-1 draw with South Africa followed by a 2-1 defeat in Benin in June, and reportedly resigned after not being told of the NFF’s plans to appoint a technical advisor to oversee his work. The NFF did not publicly acknowledge his resignation.
Labbadia’s first two games in charge of Nigeria will be in 2025 Africa Cup qualifying against Benin and Rwanda on September 7 and 10, respectively. The new coach faces a tough task in reviving Nigeria’s World Cup qualifying campaign, but with his experience and expertise, he may just be the man to lead the Super Eagles back to success.
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