The senior national female football team has continued to get recognition as the head coach of the Super Falcons, Mr Justine Madugu, as well as the goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie, have been nominated for the 2025 Ballon d’Or award.
Mr Magudu, who led the Nigerian team to the 10th Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title in Morocco, was nominated for best coach in women’s football, while Ms Nnadozie is shortlisted for the women’s Yacine trophy.
The France Football Magazine, organisers of the global award, announced the list in a series of posts on its X account on Thursday.
Mr Madugu will face competition for the women’s best coach prize against a formidable lineup of fellow nominees like England’s Sarina Wiegman, Renée Slegers of Arsenal Women, Chelsea Women’s Sonia Bompastor, and Arthur Elias of the Brazilian women’s national team.
The 61-year-old Nigeria was named the best coach of the tournament concluded some days ago.
The triumph in Morocco was the first major trophy won by Coach Madugu since he began his coaching career in 1987. He had never coached outside Nigeria until he was named the Falcons’ head coach following the exit of Coach Randy Waldrum.
For the women’s best goalkeeper prize, Nnadozie is shortlisted alongside Germany’s Ann-Katrin Berger, Spain’s Cata Coll, England’s Hannah Hampton and the Dutch shot-stopper, Daphne van Domselaar.
The 24-year-old was named the best goalkeeper of the WAFCON tourney after keeping clean sheets in four of Nigeria’s six matches.
She has been a consistent performer for the Falcons, winning the CAF women’s goalkeeper of the year twice.