Bruno Labbadia: Five Key Facts About the New Super Eagles Coach
- The Nigeria Football Federation recently announced Bruno Labbadia as the manager of the Super Eagles
- The 58-year-old is expected to lead the senior men’s national team in the upcoming AFCON qualifiers
- Legit.ng shines the spotlight on key things to know about the newly appointed Super Eagles tactician
The Nigeria football community has been abuzz with excitement following the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) announcement of Bruno Labbadia as the new coach of the Super Eagles.
The 58-year-old, who boasts extensive experience in German football, is embarking on his maiden national team coaching career with Nigeria.
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According to the press statement issued by the NFF, the former Bayer Leverkusen manager is set to lead the Super Eagles in the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification series, where they will face the Republic of Benin and the Amavubi of Rwanda.
As reactions to the appointment of the veteran German coach continue to pour in, Legit.ng highlights key details to know about the new manager of the Nigerian team.
Key things to note about coach Labbadia
Prolific striker
The newly appointed manager of the Super Eagles made a name for himself during his active footballing days with several clubs across various tiers of the German football pyramid.
Labbadia, whose career spanned nearly two decades, scored over 250 goals. As a forward, he played for several prominent clubs, including Werder Bremen and Bayern Munich, where he secured a Bundesliga title.
Coaching career and tactical flexibility
Since beginning his coaching career in 2003 with Darmstadt 98, the veteran manager has demonstrated impressive tactical flexibility and adaptability wherever he has been in charge.
While data from Sofascore highlights his preference for the 4-2-3-1 formation, his coaching career reveals his strong inclination toward flexibility. He frequently tailors his tactics to capitalise on his team's greatest strengths.
Super Eagles fans can anticipate a highly adaptable and potentially fluid tactical approach from the new manager.
Managerial success
Throughout his two-decade coaching career, Coach Labbadia has managed some of the biggest clubs in the German Bundesliga.
The 58-year-old has taken charge of Bayer Leverkusen, Hamburger SV, and VfL Wolfsburg. Unfortunately, Labbadia has yet to secure any titles in his managerial career. His best achievement remains a sixth-place finish with VfB Stuttgart in the 2011/12 season, which earned the team a spot in the UEFA Europa League, according to data from FotMob.
Relegation specialist
An important detail for fans of the Nigerian team to know about their new senior men’s manager is his well-earned nickname, ‘the Relegation Specialist.’
Coach Labbadia has built a reputation as one of the top managers to turn to when a team faces the threat of relegation, and he has consistently performed this role with distinction.
The veteran tactician notably achieved this in 2015 with Hamburg and again in 2018 with Wolfsburg. Now, Labbadia will aim to replicate this success with the Super Eagles, particularly as the team currently finds itself at the bottom of the FIFA World Cup qualification group.
Italian heritage
The new coach of the Super Eagles also boasts notable Italian heritage. Labbadia’s family roots trace back to Lenola, a town in the Lazio region of Italy.
His Italian parents subsequently moved to Germany as Gastarbeiter and settled in Schneppenhausen, near Darmstadt.
NFF appoints new Super Eagles coach
Legit.ng in another report detailed that the NFF has appointed Labbadia as the new coach of the Super Eagles.
The veteran tactician is expected to lead the Nigerian team in the upcoming 2025 AFCON qualification series in September.
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Source: Legit.ng
