Nigeria’s Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has openly admitted his disappointment at contesting the third-place playoff at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations instead of fighting for the title.

Speaking ahead of Nigeria’s clash with Egypt in the bronze medal match scheduled for Saturday, January 17, at 16:00 GMT, Chelle revealed that his ambitions for the tournament were firmly focused on lifting the trophy.

The Super Eagles narrowly missed out on a second consecutive AFCON final after suffering a painful penalty shootout defeat to hosts Morocco in the semi-finals. Reflecting on the setback, Chelle did not shy away from expressing his frustration, while also praising his players’ efforts throughout the competition.

“I’m disappointed to be here. I had big ambitions for this tournament,” Chelle said during his pre-match press conference. “After we lost to Morocco, I told my players to keep their heads up because they had a great tournament.”

Nigeria’s opponents, Egypt, also arrive at the third-place playoff nursing their own disappointment. The Pharaohs were edged out 1–0 by Senegal in the semi-finals, denying them the chance to pursue a record-extending eighth AFCON crown.

Both sides will now look to end their AFCON 2025 campaign on a positive note as they battle for the bronze medal.