Morocco's hosting of the 35th African Cup of Nations( AFCON) ended with Senegal lifting the trophy after a controversial final that left the host nation devastated. Pape Gueye's lone strike settled a match that epitomised everything right and wrong about this tournament - brilliant football marred by questionable officiating that had fans and pundits alike screaming at their screens.
The refereeing controversies throughout the tournament became the unwanted subplot that threatened to overshadow some genuinely excellent football. From dubious penalty decisions to inconsistent VAR interventions, the officiating left much to be desired. It's frustrating because African football deserves better than having its showpiece event reduced to debates about referee competence rather than celebrations of player brilliance.
Yet Morocco deserves immense credit for the infrastructure it provided. The stadiums were world-class, matching anything Europe has to offer. This is the standard African nations should aspire to when hosting continental competitions - facilities that announce we've arrived on the global stage, not apologetic venues that reinforce outdated stereotypes about African capabilities.
For Nigeria, this tournament produced something unexpected: a bronze medal that feels more valuable than the silver from the last edition. The Super Eagles claimed their ninth third-place finish - 1976, 1978, 1992, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2019, and now 2025. No other nation has won as many bronze medals in AFCON history. It's a peculiar record, at once impressive and frustrating, that speaks to a team that consistently reaches the latter stages but struggles to cross the final hurdle.
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The tournament nearly derailed over the perennial Nigerian football crisis - unpaid bonuses. Players threatened protests, and tensions flared between Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman before cooler heads prevailed. It's exhausting that we keep repeating this cycle. Nigerian footballers produce magic on the pitch while administrators fumble basic contractual obligations off it.
The Nigeria Football Federation needs to understand that treating players with dignity and honouring financial commitments shouldn't be treated as optional extras.
After missing out on the World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, many Nigerians desperately wanted AFCON victory as consolation. That didn't happen, but something potentially more valuable emerged - a clear identity and attacking philosophy that has been missing for years.
The Super Eagles were the tournament's highest scorers, playing expansive, aggressive football that had fans actually excited to watch. They dominated Egypt in the bronze medal match, eventually winning on penalties after controlling the game throughout regulation time.
The semi-final penalty shootout loss to Morocco stung, but the manner of Nigeria's performances throughout the tournament suggested something significant is building. This wasn't the dour, defensive, hope-for-a-set-piece approach that has characterised too many recent Nigerian campaigns. This was proactive, entertaining football, the kind that makes neutrals want to watch.
President Bola Tinubu congratulated the team, noting the players "demonstrated the determination, persistence, and can-do spirit associated with our country." The President added, "This bronze medal surely feels good like gold." For once, the presidential platitudes actually ring true.
Super Eagles coach, Eric Chelle's record after one year demands attention: 16 games, 10 wins, 5 draws, 1 loss, 34 goals scored, 15 conceded. These aren't just numbers; they represent a genuine transformation in how Nigeria approaches matches. The players clearly believe in Chelle's methods, and there's visible chemistry between coach and squad that has been absent in previous regimes.
This newspaper believes the Nigeria Football Federation should immediately offer Chelle a long-term contract. Nigerian football's chronic instability, the revolving door of coaches hired and fired on whim, has prevented any sustainable progress. Every new coach arrives, implements a system, shows promise, then gets sacked before the seeds can properly take root. It's managerial malpractice masquerading as decisiveness.
Chelle has earned the right to continue building. The attacking identity is established, the players are buying in, and the results are trending upward. With some tactical refinements and continued squad development, this Super Eagles team could genuinely compete at the highest level. But that requires patience from administrators who have historically demonstrated none.
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The path forward is clear. Keep Chelle, back him financially and administratively, resolve the bonus payment shambles that plague every tournament, and allow the attacking philosophy to mature. Nigeria has the talent pool; what's been missing is stability, vision, and competent management.
This bronze medal shouldn't be the ceiling. With the proper support, it could be the foundation for something significantly better. The Super Eagles showed in Morocco that they can entertain and compete. Now the Nigeria Football Federation needs to show it can provide the institutional framework for sustained success.
The football was there in Morocco. The goals were there. The potential was unmistakable. What happens next depends entirely on whether Nigerian football administrators can resist their worst instincts and actually build on what Chelle has started. For Nigerian fans exhausted by decades of underachievement punctuated by brief flashes of brilliance, that would be the real victory.
