The head coach of the Super Falcons, Justine Madugu and Chiamaka Nnadozie, the team’s goalkeeper, were both named among the nominees for the 2025 Ballon d’Or awards in the women’s categories.
France Football Magazine, the prestigious organisers of the Ballon d’Or, unveiled the nominations in a series of posts on their official X (formerly Twitter) account.
Madugu, 61, was shortlisted for the women’s coach of the year award, a major recognition of his historic achievement with the Super Falcons.
In July, he guided the Nigerian women’s team to their 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title in Morocco, a feat that earned him continental praise and the tournament’s best coach award.
His nomination places him in elite company, alongside some of the most successful names in women’s football today.
The list includes Sarina Wiegman, the legendary England coach; Renée Slegers, who has been instrumental in Arsenal Women’s resurgence; Sonia Bompastor of Chelsea Women, and Arthur Elias, who recently took charge of the Brazilian women’s national team.
Madugu’s journey to international acclaim is anything but conventional. Until his appointment as head coach of the Super Falcons, he had spent his entire career coaching within Nigeria. His WAFCON success in Morocco marked his first major international trophy, and now, global recognition is knocking.
On the other side of the pitch, Chiamaka Nnadozie, Nigeria’s ever-reliable number one, has been shortlisted for the Yacine Trophy for best women’s goalkeeper, an award introduced in 2019 and named after iconic Algerian shot-stopper, Lev Yashin.
Nnadozie, 24 years old, was a defensive rock for the Super Falcons at the 2024 WAFCON. She kept four clean sheets in six matches, a performance that saw her voted best goalkeeper of the tournament, further cementing her reputation as one of Africa’s finest between the sticks.
She faces competition from several top-class goalkeepers across Europe, including Ann-Katrin Berger (Germany), Cata Coll (Spain), Hannah Hampton (England), and Daphne van Domselaar (Netherlands). Still, Nnadozie’s blend of agility, confidence, and leadership continues to stand out.
Her inclusion on the Ballon d’Or shortlist adds another accolade to an already impressive resume. Nnadozie is a two-time winner of the CAF Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year and has consistently delivered world-class performances for both Nigeria and her club side, Paris FC in France.
READ ALSO FROM SPORTING TRIBUNE
The three will assist Busari as the Flamingos seek a spot at this year’s FIFA…
This year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals will take place in Morocco from 17th…
"He's apologised to me, he's apologised to the club, and we'll deal with that after…
PSG were successful in a request to move a Ligue 1 fixture against Lens before…
The Egyptian international was angered that Al-Ahly was not awarded a penalty for a handball…
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nationwide League One (NLO) Club Chairmen have distanced themselves from…
This website uses cookies.