Finidi George has resigned as head coach of the Nigerian national football team, the Super Eagles, following a series of contentious decisions by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
This resignation comes in the wake of the NFF’s move to appoint a foreign coach to oversee him after the team’s disappointing performance in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Benin.
The 53-year-old George, who was appointed in May as the successor to Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro, cited a lack of support from the NFF and questioned the commitment of Nigeria’s top players in the crucial qualifiers as key reasons for his departure.
George had previously served as an assistant to Peseiro for 20 months, gaining significant experience in the role before stepping up as head coach.
Despite his efforts, the Super Eagles’ failure to secure victories in the recent qualifiers has led to mounting pressure and scrutiny.
In a meeting held earlier this week with Sports Minister John Enoh, George expressed his frustrations, highlighting the lack of institutional support and the challenges he faced in garnering commitment from the nation’s star players.
“I did not enjoy the support of my employers, the NFF,” George reportedly stated during the meeting.
His resignation underscores the ongoing issues within Nigerian football, particularly the perennial debate over the preference for foreign coaches versus homegrown talent.
