FIFA best awards 2025: Chelle not listed as voter, Nnadozie earns goalkeeper nomination

Nigeria’s Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, was absent from the official list of voters released by FIFA for the 2025 Best FIFA Football Awards, despite Nigeria recording significant representation across voting and expert panels, Sport360NG reports.

Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie emerged as the country’s lone nominee across the 11 award categories, earning recognition for her performances with Brighton, Paris FC and the national team.

While Chelle did not feature among the voters, Nigerians were actively involved in the process as team captains, coaches, media representatives and members of FIFA’s expert panels.

Nnadozie was shortlisted for The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper and The Best FIFA Women’s 11 after an impressive campaign. She was instrumental in Paris FC’s Coupe de France triumph over Paris Saint-Germain, keeping a clean sheet before saving two penalties in the shootout. At international level, she registered four clean sheets in six matches as Nigeria defeated Morocco in Rabat to reclaim the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title.

However, despite those performances, Nnadozie finished joint-bottom in voting for The Best FIFA Women’s 11, with her and 17 other goalkeepers failing to attract a vote in the category, which was won by England’s Hannah Hampton. Hampton also secured The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper award, finishing ahead of Spain’s Cata Coll.

In the men’s best player category, Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong voted for Ousmane Dembélé, Achraf Hakimi and Lamine Yamal, while Nigeria’s media representative, Oluwashina Okeleji, selected Dembélé, Hakimi and Mohamed Salah.

For the women’s best player award, Super Falcons captain Rasheedat Ajibade voted for Temwa Chawinga, Aitana Bonmatí and Melchie Dumornay. Nigeria’s women’s head coach, Justine Madugu, chose Bonmatí, Alessia Russo and Lucy Bronze, with Okeleji also voting for Bonmatí, Russo and Chawinga.

In the men’s goalkeeper category, Troost-Ekong cast his votes for Gianluigi Donnarumma, Manuel Neuer and Alisson Becker, while Okeleji selected Donnarumma, David Raya and Thibaut Courtois. For the women’s goalkeeper award, Ajibade voted for Nnadozie and Hampton, with Madugu and Okeleji also including both goalkeepers on their ballots.

Beyond Nigeria, Nnadozie attracted support from captains, coaches and media representatives across 238 countries, finishing fourth overall behind Hampton, Coll and Chile’s Christiane Endler.

In the women’s coach category, Ajibade and Madugu voted for Renée Slegers, Sonia Bompastor and Sarina Wiegman, while Okeleji selected Wiegman, Bompastor and Seb Hines. For the men’s coach award, both Troost-Ekong and Okeleji voted for Luis Enrique, Hansi Flick and Arne Slot.

Across the men’s categories, Chelle was the only Nigerian voter absent, leaving Troost-Ekong and Okeleji as the country’s sole representatives.

Nigeria also had a strong presence on FIFA’s expert panels responsible for shortlisting nominees. Cinthya Uwak served on the panel for the women’s player, coach and goalkeeper awards, Yewande Balogun contributed to the FIFA Marta Award for best women’s goal, Perpetua Nkwocha took part in selecting The Best FIFA Women’s 11, Sunday Oliseh was involved in shortlisting The Best FIFA Men’s 11, while Mercy Akide served on the panel for the FIFA Fair Play Award.

The Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony was held on Tuesday, recognising performances between August 11, 2024 and August 2, 2025. Voting ran from November 6 to November 28, 2025.

At the ceremony, Bonmatí was named The Best FIFA Women’s Player, Dembélé won The Best FIFA Men’s Player award, Hampton claimed The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper honour, while Donnarumma was crowned The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper.