Something strange is happening with this Nigeria team. Not the goals – they've scored eight of them in three matches, more than anyone else at this tournament. Not the results – three wins from three, the only perfect record in Morocco. What's strange is the feeling around them. For once, the Super Eagles look genuinely comfortable in their own skin.
Eric Chelle wasn't supposed to work. When the Nigeria Football Federation announced his appointment in early January 2025, the internet exploded with mockery. A Ligue 2 journeyman? The man who couldn't get past Ivory Coast's dramatic late comeback in the last AFCON quarter-finals? The first non-Nigerian African to coach the Super Eagles? Surely the NFF had lost the plot.
Now look at them.
The Osimhen-Lookman connection that's terrifying opponents
There's a moment from the Tunisia match that keeps replaying in my head. Victor Osimhen receives the ball with his back to goal, defenders breathing down his neck. Instead of holding it up as he normally would, he lays it off first time into Lookman's path. The Atalanta forward takes one touch, shifts past two players, and rifles the ball into the net. Three-nil.
That wasn't desperation. That was understanding.
Chelle himself couldn't hide his admiration after the match. "I know where he's going to be on the pitch," Lookman told beIN Sports after the game. "It's important to find him because he's our striker, a dangerous player in the box."
The numbers tell part of the story. Lookman has two goals and two assists in three appearances, earning himself a spot in CAF's official Group Stage Best XI announced on January 2nd. Osimhen has added one goal and an assist of his own, with two further efforts ruled out for offside. But statistics don't capture how they've become a two-man wrecking ball that operates almost telepathically.
The African Footballer of the Year and the man Chelle calls "the best striker in the world" aren't just coexisting – they're amplifying each other.
Chelle's gamble that silenced 230 million critics
Before flying to Morocco, the Franco-Malian coach gave an interview that revealed the pressure cooker he'd been living in since taking the job. "Nigeria has approximately 230 million people – that means 230 million national team coaches," he said. "I've avoided social media for a while to escape the noise and focus on my work with my technical staff."
Fair enough. After the World Cup qualifying disaster – losing to DR Congo on penalties despite Osimhen's brace against Gabon in the semi-final playoff – Nigerian fans weren't in a forgiving mood. The echoes of that night in Marrakech still haunted the camp.
Chelle's response? Attack. Always attack.
"Our players are suffering, and we need to find a remedy," he declared. "Instead of suffering, we must make our opponents suffer."
Against Tanzania, that philosophy took shape. Against Tunisia, it exploded into life. Against Uganda, even with wholesale changes and key players rested, Nigeria cruised to a 3-1 victory. The suffering was entirely one-directional.
What makes this Nigeria different
Here's what you won't find in the match reports: Chelle runs a remarkably tight ship. When Osimhen reacted angrily to being substituted against Tanzania – visibly frustrated despite the win – the coach dealt with it behind closed doors. "We talked, and it will stay between him and me," Chelle told reporters. "If you want more information, you'll have to ask Osimhen to ask me."
That's new. Previous Nigeria camps have been notorious for dressing room leaks, ego clashes, and public fallings-out. Chelle has somehow managed to keep all of that quiet while deploying an embarrassment of attacking riches.
Beyond Osimhen and Lookman, there's Alex Iwobi orchestrating from deeper positions, Samuel Chukwueze waiting on the bench, Moses Simon adding pace, and Akor Adams proving he belongs at this level. The depth is staggering. The harmony is unexpected.
The ghost haunting Nigeria's perfect record
There's one unsettling stat that Chelle's optimism can't quite shake. Since 1963, Nigeria have achieved a perfect group stage record at only three AFCONs: 1992, 2006, and 2021. Each time, the campaign ended in heartbreak shortly after.
In 1992, they were leading Ghana in the semi-final before Abedi Pele-inspired comeback snatched victory away. In 2006, a Didier Drogba goal for Ivory Coast killed their dreams in the next round. In 2021, they were ruthless in the groups – and then Tunisia humiliated them in the Round of 16.
Mozambique await on January 5th. The Mambas have never reached the AFCON quarter-finals. On paper, it should be routine.
But Nigeria have been "should have" champions before. What matters now is whether Chelle's men can turn their perfect record into something more than a historical footnote.
The question that will define this tournament
Osimhen turned 27 on December 29th. He's five goals away from matching Rashidi Yekini's all-time Nigeria scoring record. He's never won a major trophy with his country, despite a Champions League run with Napoli and consistent brilliance in club football.
In his pre-tournament press conference, the striker was uncharacteristically direct. "It's about going to battle," he said. "This is the first match, and we'll give everything. We're not underestimating any team in our group."
They haven't. Now comes the hard part – the knockout rounds where one bad half can undo three good games.
For once, though, the Super Eagles don't look like a collection of talented individuals hoping for the best. They look like a team. Chelle has built something in less than a year that his predecessors couldn't manage in much longer.
Whether it'll be enough remains the only question worth asking.