Nigeria has announced the appointment of German coach Bruno Labbadia as the new head coach of its men’s national soccer team. The decision, aimed at rejuvenating the team’s World Cup qualifying campaign, was confirmed on Tuesday by Mohammed Sanusi, the general secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
Labbadia, aged 58, had been without a coaching role since his dismissal from Stuttgart in April 2023. His tenure at Stuttgart ended following the team’s decline to the bottom of the Bundesliga standings. Currently, Nigeria is positioned second from the bottom in its 2026 World Cup qualifying group, having failed to secure a victory in their first four matches.
Previously, Nigeria drew 1-1 with Lesotho and Zimbabwe in November of the previous year. Under former Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro, the team reached the final of the Africa Cup of Nations but was defeated by host nation Ivory Coast in February. After Peseiro’s departure, his assistant Finidi George was promoted to head coach in April. However, George struggled with the team’s performance, leading to a 1-1 draw with South Africa and a 2-1 loss in Benin in June. George reportedly resigned due to being left out of discussions about the appointment of a technical advisor, though the NFF did not officially acknowledge his resignation.
Labbadia’s coaching career includes positions with Hertha Berlin, Wolfsburg, Hamburger SV, Bayer Leverkusen, and Darmstadt. His most recent stint at Stuttgart saw him oversee just two victories in 12 games, including one in the league and one in the German Cup. His successor, Sebastian Hoeness, managed to prevent Stuttgart’s relegation and achieved a club-record points total last season.
Bruno Labbadia will begin his role with Nigeria in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Benin and Rwanda, scheduled for September 7 and 10, respectively.
