Nigerians have taken to social media with humorous reactions after a Malian called for the return of Eric Chelle to Mali’s national football team.

Chelle, a Franco-Malian coach, led the Malian men’s team for two years, guiding them to the quarter-finals of the last Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire. In 2025, he was appointed head coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles and quickly led the team to the semi-finals of the AFCON in Morocco.

On Saturday, Nigeria beat Algeria 2-0 in the quarter-finals and will face Morocco for a spot in the final on Wednesday.

In a tweet on Sunday, Nation Mali jokingly demanded: “Naija men, abeg return our coach!”

Nigerians, however, were quick to respond with comedy. Precious, an X user, offered Mali Finidi George, saying he is “very good tactically.” Another user, Omachonu, joked that Nigeria would soon honour Chelle with a chieftaincy title and advised Mali to forget about reclaiming him.

Other reactions included praise for Nigeria’s talented squad capable of executing Chelle’s tactics, while some noted the coach had almost become a social media meme due to the stress he endured during matches.

The playful exchanges highlight the growing affection Nigerians have for Chelle and his impact on the Super Eagles.