Nigeria Players Abroad
Chiamaka Nnadozie shortlisted as Rasheedat Ajibade misses out on CAF Player of the Year
By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde
Nigeria goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie is the country’s sole representative as far as the 2024 CAF Women’s Player of the Year shortlist is concerned.
The Paris FC goalie was nominated alongside teammate Rasheedat Ajibade, but the Atletico Madrid star missed out on the shortlisted final five players for the award.
Nnadozie has been in spectacular form for club and country as she helped Nigeria’s senior women’s national team to stage a return to the Olympics after 16-year hiatus.
Despite a group stage ouster at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Nnadozie put up superb saves against top 10 ranked teams, Brazil, Spain, and Japan.
Her saves lifted Paris FC to secure consecutive qualification for the UEFA Women’s Champions League (UWCL) despite failing to make the group stage for another season.
The former Rivers Angels save hands will battle stern opposition for the top prize.
They include Malawian duo of Tabitha Chawinga (Lyon) and Temwa Chawinga (Kansas City Current).
2024 CAF Women’s Champions League player of the tournament, Sanaa Mssoudy (AS FAR FC) and Barbra Banda (Orlando Pride), who recently won the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Women’s Footballer of the Year award, complete the shortlisted players.
