Eric Chelle rules out return as Mali coach

Eric Chelle addressed questions about a potential return to the Mali national team during a post match press conference following the third-place match.

Chelle was responding to a question from a Malian journalist who asked whether he would consider returning as head coach of the Eagles of Mali.

“That is my country, my mother is from Mali,” Chelle said. “But I was humiliated there, in front of the whole world.”

The former Mali coach did not provide further details about the circumstances surrounding his departure, but made clear that his past experience remains a barrier to any return.

For now, Chelle appears focused on his current path, with no indication that a reunion with the Eagles of Mali is imminent, despite his roots and the continued interest from supporters back home.