Who is Janne Andersson? Meet the trophy-shy Swedish coach in line for Nigeria job
If the Nigeria Football Federation confirms his appointment, the Swede will become the fifth coach to lead the Super Eagles in the last five years and the first person from Sweden to take on the role.
Andersson is out of job after resigning his position as Sweden's head coach due to the team's disappointing performance in the 2024 European Championship qualifiers. The Blue and Yellow's failure to secure a place in the tournament led to increased pressure and scrutiny, contributing to his decision to step down.
The 60-year-old may not be a household name among Nigeria's football-crazy fans, but he is believed to have the qualifications and experience to elevate the three-time African champions and secure the country's spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
So, who is the man set to take the Ajax legend and what is his managerial record like? Flashscore brings you everything you need to know.
Who is Janne Andersson?
Andersson is a Swedish football tactician who has served as head coach for Halmstads BK, Orgryte IS, and IFK Norrkoping.
His recent role involved managing Sweden's senior national team, a position he held from 2016 to 2023.
Born on September 29, 1962, Andersson is a former footballer who played for clubs such as Alets IK, IS Halmia, and Laholms FK. However, his playing career was relatively brief, as he retired at the age of 30.
After gaining extensive experience as a player-manager and assistant manager, the former striker took charge of Halmstads in 2004. His most notable achievement during his tenure was eliminating Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon from the UEFA Cup, a team that had reached the UEFA Cup final just the previous year.
After five years at HBK, he joined relegated Orgryte IS. Unfortunately, he left after just one season when Orgryte had their Superettan license revoked due to severe financial difficulties.
Andersson joined IFK Norrkoping in 2011, and four years later, he led them to their first league title in 26 years by defeating defending champions Malmo FF away in the final game.
His achievement earned him widespread recognition across Sweden as one of the brightest coaching talents. In 2016, he was appointed head coach of the Swedish national team, replacing Erik Hamren after the country's disappointing Euro 2016 performance.
What was Janne Andersson’s record with Sweden?
Andersson spent over seven years as head coach of the Swedish national team but walking away in 20
He managed the Blue and Yellow in 94 matches, securing 48 wins, 31 losses, and 15 draws. This gives him a win percentage of 51.06% during his tenure.
With players such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marcus Berg at his disposal, Andersson ensured that Sweden were a scoring side, with 151 goals scored across his tenure.
The 61-year-old failed to win a single title while appearing in just the 2014 FIFA World Cup hosted by Russia and the UEFA Euro 2020.
In Russia, he brought the country closest to World Cup glory by leading them to the quarter-finals before losing to England at the Cosmos Arena in Samara.
Andersson’s Sweden failed to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup held in Qatar, after losing to Poland 2–0 away in the decisive playoff fixture. The country were also later relegated to the UEFA Nations League B and later to C.
After failing to qualify for UEFA Euro 2024 - the first time since 1996 - he stepped down as Sweden's coach. In his final game, he led his side to a 2-0 win over Estonia.
Why Jane Andersson wants to coach Nigeria
In a recent interview, Andersson revealed that he had been approached by the Nigeria Football Federation and shared why he would like to coach the Nigerian national team if given the opportunity.
“It’s a huge footballing nation. I can confirm that I have had a dialogue with the Nigeria Football Federation,” he told Swedish newspaper, Expressen.
“It’s a huge footballing nation so I’m extremely flattered to be in the running to be their next national team coach.
“Dialogue is ongoing and I don’t really want to say more than that. I have been in this industry for so long and know that things can happen in different ways. So we’ll see what happens in the future.”
