Chiamaka Nnadozie: Sustained Continental Leadership
After ranking 4th best goalkeeper in 1st Women’s Yashin Trophy, Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie on Wednesday in a glittering ceremony at the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Morocco, etched her name deeper into African football folklore by claiming the CAF Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award for an unprecedented third straight time, thereby becoming the first African woman to achieve such a feat
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Wednesday in Rabat, Morocco, crowned Super Falcons goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie as the continent’s top female goalkeeper for 2025, capping a remarkable year that saw her dominate both club and international stages.
The 24-year-old , who now plays for Brighton & Hove Albion in the English Women’s Super League after a stellar stint at Paris FC, fended off stiff competition from Morocco’s Khadija Er-Rmichi (AS FAR) and South Africa’s Andile Dlamini (Mamelodi Sundowns) to secure the hat-trick.
“Back-to-back-to-back! Chiamaka Nnadozie made it once, twice, then a habit!” declared CAF’s official X account shortly after the announcement, capturing the sentiment of a continent in awe of her consistency.
At Paris FC, she helped lift the Coupe France Féminine, while internationally, she played a key role in the Super Falcons’ record-extending 10th WAFCON title, keeping four clean sheets and earning the tournament’s best goalkeeper award.
Following WAFCON, she joined Brighton & Hove Albion in the Women’s Super League, making an immediate impact with a Player of the Match debut, and earning multiple nominations, including the WSL Save of the Month and PFA Fans’ Player of the Month awards.
Nnadozie’s latest triumph builds on her previous wins in 2023 and 2024, making her the first woman to achieve a three-peat in this category since its inception.
Her global recognition peaked with a fourth-place finish in the inaugural Women’s Yashin Trophy at the 2025 Ballon d’Or and nominations for FIFA’s The Best Women’s Goalkeeper award.
Speaking on her achievement, Nnadozie has previously credited her success to relentless dedication and the support of her teammates, often emphasising her role in inspiring young African girls to pursue goalkeeping, a position historically underrepresented in women’s football.
Nnadozie’s latest CAF honour adds to her growing legacy, cementing her status as one of the most exciting talents in women’s football today.
Following her victory, Nnadozie has expressed her deep pride and gratitude after winning the CAF Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award for the third consecutive time, describing the honour as hugely significant for her and her family.
Speaking moments after receiving the award, Nnadozie shared her deep pride and gratitude after winning the CAF Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award for the third consecutive time.
She described the honour as hugely significant for her and her family and said she remained humbled despite her growing legacy.
“Winning this award the third time in a row is a very big thing for me and my family. I’m really really grateful for that,” she said.
She also praised her fellow nominees, Morocco’s Khadija Er-Rmichi and South Africa’s Andile Dlamini, calling herself “a big fan” of their work.
“To my fellow nominees, I just wanted to know that I’m a big fan of all of you and I watch all your games.”
“I know very soon we will not just be here every year in Morocco to compete against each other.”
She also used her acceptance speech to celebrate the rise of African goalkeepers, insisting that the global football world is unprepared for the talent emerging from the continent.
“You guys are the best. I’m not sure the world is ready for what’s coming out from Africa and I believe in the nearest future all the African goalkeepers will be there in the world competing against the best goalkeepers.”
“Thank you so much and I love you.”
Only recently, Nnadozie opened up about the emotional struggles she’s faced since moving to England, admitting that she feels lonely and often breaks down in tears.
In an emotional chat with Versus on its Nothing Off the Table series, the 24-year-old said life in Brighton has been far from easy despite her growing success on the pitch.
“Since I moved to Brighton, almost every day I cry because I feel lonely. I miss my family, my teammates, my coaches — they always try to check up on me to make sure I’m okay,” Nnadozie said.
She explained that most people only see the glamour of professional football but rarely understand the struggles that come with it.
“It’s not really easy. Sometimes people just think you come out on the pitch to play, but they don’t really know what goes on behind,” she said.
She, however, credited the warmth and unity of her new teammates for helping her settle into life in England.
“The only thing that helps is having people who really care about you. Going to pre-season with the team also helped me a lot. The unity and everything I saw in the team were really good,” she added.
Nnadozie, who has been widely praised for her leadership and composure between the sticks, remains one of Nigeria’s brightest exports in women’s football.
