Super Eagles head coach Éric Chelle has once again come to the defence of Samuel Chukwueze following criticism that trailed the winger’s missed penalty in Nigeria’s semi-final defeat to Morocco at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Chukwueze has been widely criticised after his weak spot-kick was easily saved by Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou during the penalty shootout. Nigeria eventually lost 4–2 on penalties to the Atlas Lions after the encounter ended 0–0 in regulation time and extra time.
Left-back Bruno Onyemaechi was the other Super Eagles player who failed to convert his penalty in the shootout.
Despite the backlash, Chelle insisted that Chukwueze remains the most reliable penalty taker in the squad, stressing that the miss should not define the player’s quality or contribution.
“Samuel Chukwueze is the best penalty taker in the team. He hardly ever misses in training — maybe once out of 400,” Chelle said while speaking to reporters.
The Super Eagles coach suggested that external factors, including the hostile atmosphere created by the home crowd, may have played a role in the outcome.
“The feeling is different for every player, maybe because of the crowd. I think if we took those penalties in Uyo, Abuja, or Lagos, we would have won for sure,” Chelle added.
Nigeria’s defeat ended their hopes of reaching the AFCON final, but Chelle’s comments underline his continued confidence in Chukwueze and his resolve to shield his players from undue criticism following the heartbreaking loss.
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