Nigeria women’s national team captain Rasheedat Ajibade has revealed her selections for the FIFA Best Women’s Player 2025, casting her votes for Malawi’s Temwa Chawinga, Spain’s Aitana Bonmatí, and Jamaica’s Melchie Dumornay.
Ajibade placed Chawinga first on her ballot, recognising the Malawian forward’s outstanding performances and decisive impact at club level over the voting period. The Super Falcons skipper ranked reigning Ballon d’Or holder Aitana Bonmatí second, acknowledging the Spanish midfielder’s continued influence and consistency at the highest level of the women’s game.
Completing Ajibade’s top three was Melchie Dumornay of Jamaica, whose rapid rise and dynamic displays earned widespread acclaim across domestic and international competitions.
As Nigeria’s captain, Ajibade’s vote carries weight within the global football community and reflects respect for excellence beyond national boundaries. The FIFA Best Awards are determined through a combination of votes from national team captains, coaches, journalists, and fans, highlighting the collective voice of the sport’s key stakeholders.
Ajibade’s selections underline the growing diversity and global reach of women’s football, with elite performers from Africa, Europe, and the Caribbean recognised for their impact on the world stage.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
