Nigeria’s senior women’s national team head coach, Justine Madugu has been ranked among the top 10 best women’s national team coaches in the world for 2025 by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS).
Madugu placed eighth globally, making him the only African coach on the prestigious list and underlining Nigeria’s growing influence in women’s football at the international level.
The rankings are topped by Sarina Wiegman, who continues her remarkable run after leading England to sustained success, while Brazil’s Arthur Elias and Spain’s Montse Tomé complete the top three.
IFFHS Top 10 Women’s National Team Coaches (2025)
1. Sarina Wiegman (Netherlands) — England
2. Arthur Elias (Brazil) — Brazil
3. Montse Tomé (Spain) — Spain
4. Emma Hayes (England) — USA
5. Sonia Bermúdez (Spain) — Spain
6. Jorge Vilda (Spain) — Morocco
7. Christian Wück (Germany) — Germany
8. Justine Madugu (Nigeria) — Nigeria
9. Gemma Grainger (England) — Norway
10. Nina Patalon (Poland) — Poland
Madugu’s inclusion follows Nigeria’s strong performances on the global stage, highlighted by tactical discipline, squad depth management, and the continued competitiveness of the Super Falcons against elite opposition.
The ranking is seen as a major boost for Nigerian women’s football and further recognition of the Super Falcons’ technical progress under Madugu’s leadership.
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.
