France Football’s 2025 Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris has once again placed global football icons in the spotlight. Paris Saint-Germain winger Ousmane Dembélé was crowned the winner of the men’s Ballon d’Or, capping a stellar season with his club.
Meanwhile, in the women’s category, Super Falcons head coach Justine Madugu has been nominated among the top five contenders for the Women’s Best Coach (Johan Cruyff Trophy). Madugu’s nomination follows his leadership during Nigeria’s triumphant 10th win at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), an achievement that has drawn widespread acclaim.
Though Madugu is absent from the ceremony in Paris, his recognition as one of the world’s elite women coaches underscores a growing respect for African technical skills on the global stage.
With Dembélé already cemented as the best male footballer for 2024-25, Madugu’s nomination is a beacon of hope for coaches across the continent, proof that with impact and performance, even distant fields can gain global recognition.
