When the shortlist for the 2025 Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper Award was released, few were surprised to see Chiamaka Nnadozie’s name among football’s elite. At just 24, the Nigerian shot-stopper has become one of the most formidable figures in global women’s football, a symbol of confidence, resilience, and world-class talent.
The list of nominees reads like a roll call of excellence: Hannah Hampton, Ann-Katrin Berger, Cata Coll, Christiane Endler, Anna Moorhouse, Phallon Tullis-Joyce, and Nnadozie, each a star in her own right. Yet, the Nigerian goalkeeper’s journey stands out for its grit and inspiration. Rising from the dusty pitches of Owerri to the grand stages of Europe, Nnadozie’s ascent is a testament to how far African women’s football has come and how much further it can go.
This year has been particularly special with Paris FC, Nnadozie delivered a string of heroic performances that helped her club clinch the Coupe de Féminine title in May. Then came the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, where she anchored Nigeria’s defence with trademark calm and command. Four clean sheets later, she was named Goalkeeper of the Tournament, an honour that reaffirmed her continental dominance.
Her growing list of accolades doesn’t stop there as Nnadozie is also in contention for the CAF Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year, a title she has already won twice and earned a spot among nominees for the inaugural Female Yachine Trophy, a rare feat for an African goalkeeper.
What makes Nnadozie exceptional is more than her reflexes or shot-stopping prowess, it’s her presence, the leadership she exudes between the posts, her unyielding belief, and her ability to inspire millions of young African girls who now dare to dream beyond boundaries. Whether she lifts the FIFA crown or not, Chiamaka Nnadozie has already won something greater: a place among the immortals of the game.
Nnadozie isn’t just Nigeria’s number one, she’s one of the world’s best.
