Nigeria’s football is buzzing with pride as Super Falcons head coach, Justine Madugu, has been shortlisted for the 2025 Ballon d’Or Best Women’s Coach award.

France Football Magazine, the organisers of the prestigious award, made the announcement via their official X handle on Thursday.

Madugu’s nomination comes on the heels of a historic triumph at the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco, where he led the Super Falcons to their 10th title. It was his first major international trophy in a coaching career that began in 1987. The remarkable WAFCON run also saw him crowned Best Coach of the tournament.

Also flying Nigeria’s flag high is 24-year-old Chiamaka Nnadozie, the Falcons’ dependable shot-stopper, who earned a nomination for the women’s Yacine Trophy — an honour reserved for the world’s best female goalkeeper.

Nnadozie’s heroics at WAFCON, including four clean sheets in six games — didn’t go unnoticed. She already boasts two CAF Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year awards and now finds herself on a shortlist alongside top names like Ann-Katrin Berger, Cata Coll, Hannah Hampton, and Daphne van Domselaar.

Madugu shares the coach nomination list with the likes of England’s Sarina Wiegman, Arsenal Women’s Renée Slegers, Chelsea Women’s Sonia Bompastor, and Brazil’s Arthur Elias.

It’s a proud moment for Nigerian football — and a reminder that the Super Falcons remain a force to reckon with on the global stage.