Former Bayern Munich player Bruno Labbadia has sparked speculation about becoming the new head coach of the Super Eagles after hinting at the role on social media.
On August 27, 2024, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) announced Labbadia as the Eagles’ new coach, with the agreement set to take effect immediately. However, shortly thereafter, the 58-year-old German coach withdrew from the deal, citing issues related to “stringent regulations of German tax authorities.” The NFF noted that Labbadia had insisted the federation cover the tax obligations on his salary, which led to the collapse of the arrangement.
In a recent social media post, Labbadia suggested he might still be heading to Nigeria, captioning a post on Instagram with, “New chapter 🇳🇬.” This has fueled speculation about his potential reappointment as the Eagles’ coach. The NFF has yet to comment on these developments.
Austin Eguavoen was named interim coach in August and has since led the team through the initial games of the 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers. Under his guidance, Nigeria secured a 3-0 victory over Benin Republic but later drew 0-0 with Rwanda.
About Bruno Labbadia
Born in Darmstadt, Germany, on February 8, 1966, Labbadia enjoyed a notable playing career with clubs including Darmstadt 98, Hamburger SV, FC Kaiserslautern, Bayern Munich, FC Cologne, Werder Bremen, Armenia Bielefeld, and Karlsruher SC. He won the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich in 1994. As a coach, he has managed teams such as Hertha Berlin, VfB Stuttgart, VfL Wolfsburg, Hamburger SV, and Bayer Leverkusen. Labbadia holds a UEFA Pro License and would be the sixth German to lead the Super Eagles, following Karl-Heinz Marotzke, Gottlieb Göller, Manfred Höner, Berti Vogts, and Gernot Rohr.
