Ballon d’Or 2025: Madugu, Nnadozie Earn Prestigious Award Nominations -

Justine Madugu, Super Falcons’ head coach, has been nominated for the 2025 Ballon d’Or prize for the best coach in women’s football.

The France Football Magazine, organisers of the competition, announced the list in a series of posts on their X account on Thursday.

Chiamaka Nnadozie, Super Falcons goalkeeper, was also shortlisted for the women’s Yacine trophy.

Madugu faces stiff 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.

In July, Madugu led the Super Falcons to Nigeria’s 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title in Morocco.

The 61-year-old tactician was also named the best coach of the tournament.

The triumph in Morocco was the first major trophy won by Madugu since he began his coaching career in 1987. He had never coached outside Nigeria until he was named the Falcons’ head coach.

For the women’s best goalkeeper prize, Nnadozie is shortlisted alongside Ann-Katrin Berger, Cata Coll, Hannah Hampton and 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.

READ ALSO: WAFCON 2025: Super Falcons edge South Africa 2-1 to qualify for final

She has been a consistent performer for the Falcons, winning the CAF women’s goalkeeper of the year twice.

About Magudu & Nnadozie

Justin Pwanidi Madugu (born 19 January 1964) is a Nigerian football manager and official. He is the current manager of the Nigeria women’s team.

Madugu became part of the coaching staff of the Nigeria women’s team from 2012 onwards. He also coached the Nigerian national mini-football team at least until 2018

He later coached Adamawa United and returned to the Nigeria women’s national team in November 2021.

He was also listed as coach of Plateau United for the 2022–23 season. He participated with the team in the Confederation Cup and the Champions League.

In June 2023, he was elected Financial Secretary of the Nigerian FA.

Chiamaka Cynthia Nnadozie OON, born 8 December 2000 is a Nigerian footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Brighton & Hove Albion in the Women’s Super League.

Having previously played for Première Ligue club Paris FC in France also plays for the Nigeria women’s national team.

She is regarded as the best female goalkeeper in Africa and one of the best in the world.

At the start of the 2016 season Nnadozie signed for Rivers Angels a top flight Nigerian professional football club based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State in Nigeria.

In 2019 Nnadozie was instrumental for Rivers Angels 2019–2020 Season NWPL league win.

On 22 January 2020 she signed for the French side Paris FC on 18 month deal.

Arriving at Paris FC from River Angels FC, Chiamaka Nnadozie immediately became a key part of the team.

Named Arkema Premier League’s best goalkeeper in 2023–24 Division 1 Féminine, she left Paris FC after a magnificent victory in the Coupe de France, in which she played a key role.

On 27th June 2025, it was announced that Nnadozie would be joining The Seagulls from 1 July 2025 when her contract with Paris FC expires, subject to the usual regulatory processes.

She brings with her a wealth of experience from the Women’s Champions League, having made 16 European appearances for Paris FC between 2022 and 2025.

2025 Ballon d’Or

The 2025 Ballon d’Or will be the 69th annual ceremony of the Ballon d’Or, presented by France Football, recognising the best footballers in the world in the 2024–25 season.

For the fourth time in the history of the award, it will be given based on the results of the season instead of the calendar year.

This is the period from 1 August 2024 to 31 July 2025. The ceremony will take place on 22 September 2025 and nominees were announced on 7 August 2025.