Has Maduka Okoye secured Nigeria’s goalkeeping position under Eric Chelle?

Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has praised coach Eric Chelle for restoring his confidence in the Nigerian national team, Afriq Foot reports.

The Udinese shot‑stopper had one of the best seasons of his career in the recently finished Serie A campaign, appearing in 30 league matches and keeping 10 clean sheets.

His club form earned him more appearances for the Super Eagles this year than he has accumulated over the previous four years.

The 26‑year‑old’s path to this point has not been smooth. After joining Premier League club Watford in January 2022, Okoye struggled for playing time, and his international career stalled during the same period after he took an extended break following an error in Nigeria’s AFCON 2021 loss to Tunisia.

Nigeria and Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye. Copyright: xAndrzejxIwanczukx IMAGO

The Germany‑born Nigerian also faced a two‑month suspension from the Italian Football Federation in 2025 after allegations of match‑fixing, an allegation he was ultimately cleared of. He now appears to be in control of his career moving forward.

Okoye lauds Chelle’s role in his Super Eagles return

The goalkeeper has expressed gratitude toward the Franco‑Malian tactician, stating that Chelle’s trust was decisive in reigniting his passion for the Super Eagles.

“I had a good run this year and a great finish for me with the games against Poland and Portugal,” Okoye said in an interview with Transfermarkt.

“Playing against players like Robert Lewandowski or Cristiano Ronaldo is special.”

In the match against Poland, the former Düsseldorf goalie kept Lewandowski quiet, making two outstanding saves to deny the Polish record goalscorer his 90th strike for his country.

The same feat was repeated against Portugal, this time against one of the greatest players of all time, Cristiano Ronaldo, denying the five‑time Ballon d’Or winner three times.

Team photo of Super Eagles. Copyright: ImagoxLuisxLoureirox

Okoye’s Instagram page exploded after the game, gaining over 400,000 new followers, a figure he attributed to the pictures he took with Ronaldo.

Behind the internet fame, the goalie sincerely appreciates the opportunities Eric Chelle has given him.

“Apart from the performance I’m personally very happy with, the fun I’ve had on the pitch for the last few months is priceless,” he continued.

“I am very grateful to national coach Éric Chelle for giving me these games and his confidence. We have a lot of good goalkeepers who deserve it too, but he gave me the chance to show myself and I hope I was able to repay that with performance. I hope that he and his coaching staff continue down this path with Nigeria. It’s a lot of fun to play under him,” Okoye concluded.

Eric Chelle, the coach of Nigeria. Copyright: ImagoxMikolajxBarbanellx

Has Maduka Okoye sealed Nigeria’s goalkeeping spot under Eric Chelle?

Okoye started in three of Nigeria’s six international friendly matches in 2026, and his displays against Poland and Portugal were the type of performances that make selection decisions straightforward for a coach.

A 2‑2 draw against Poland and a narrow 1‑2 defeat to Portugal, with Okoye commanding Nigeria’s backline, will have impressed the former Mali head coach.

The numbers from his club season strengthen his case, more than any other goalkeeper in the current Super Eagles setup.

Maduka Okoye celebrates denying Robert Lewandowski. Copyright: ImagoxKatarzynaxPlewczynskax

Nigeria’s goalkeeping department is not short of options. Francis Uzoho, Arthur Okonkwo, Adeleye Adebayo, and Stanley Nwabali have all had the chance to test themselves this year, and while some have performed far better than the others, a clear decision is needed for the top two choices.

Given his experience in the Italian Serie A, Okoye has earned the right to reclaim his place as Nigeria’s number one between the sticks, largely due to Stanley Nwabali’s unresolved club situation.