Date of Birth: February 8, 1966
Coaching Career Began: 2003 with Darmstadt 98
Preferred Formation: 4-3-3 Attacking
Average Term as Coach: 1.38 years
Coaching Career Statistics:
- Matches: 487
- Wins: 215
- Draws: 101
- Losses: 171
ABUJA, Nigeria, August, 28, 2024 – The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Tuesday officially announced the appointment of German tactician Bruno Labbadia as the new Head Coach of the Super Eagles, Nigeria’s Senior Men National Team. This decision puts an end to weeks of speculation about the potential appointment of Herve Renard.
In a statement released early Tuesday, NFF General Secretary Dr. Mohammed Sanusi confirmed the appointment, stating, “The NFF Executive Committee has approved the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee to appoint Mr. Bruno Labbadia as the Head Coach of the Super Eagles.”
Labbadia, born on February 8, 1966, in Germany, began his coaching career in 2003 with Darmstadt 98 and has since become known for his preferred 4-3-3 attacking formation. Over the years, Labbadia has coached some of Europe’s top clubs, including Hertha Berlin, VfB Stuttgart, VfL Wolfsburg, Hamburger SV, and Bayer Leverkusen.
During his coaching career, Labbadia has managed a total of 487 matches, recording 215 wins, 101 draws, and 171 losses. His average tenure with each team he has coached stands at approximately 1.38 years.
Before transitioning to coaching, Labbadia had an illustrious playing career as a striker, scoring over 200 career goals. He played for several top-tier German clubs, including Darmstadt 98, Hamburger SV, FC Kaiserslautern, Bayern Munich, FC Cologne, Werder Bremen, Arminia Bielefeld, and Karlsruher SC. Notably, he won the German Bundesliga with Bayern Munich in 1994.
Labbadia also holds a UEFA Pro License and becomes the sixth German to lead the Super Eagles, following in the footsteps of Karl-Heinz Marotzke, Gottlieb Göller, Manfred Höner, Berti Vogts, and Gernot Rohr. Höner led the Eagles to a runner-up finish at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations, while Rohr guided Nigeria to the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
German coach Bruno Labbadia was announced by the NFF as the new coach of the Super Eagles, but the 56-year-old eventually turned down the offer over stringent German tax laws.