Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie narrates how she was converted from striker to goalkeeper

By Saheed Afolabi

Nigeria number one goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie has revealed how she was converted to a goalkeeper after a valuable save.

The Super Falcons goalie has stamped her feet as one of the best goalkeepers in Nigeria by following in the footsteps of the legendary Ann Chiejine, Judith Chime and Precious Dede.

Chiamaka said a moment of tactical change where she had to replace their tired goalkeeper in a match against an U15 boys team was the beginning of her greatness in the role.

Her pleas not to leave her striking role for the goalkeeper position met a brick wall from her grassroots coach.

“I didn’t start in football as a goalkeeper but as a striker. We were having a practice match against the boys, against an under‑15 team, and we just had one goalkeeper. We were losing 13-2. And the goalkeeper was so tired. I decided to go in goal, to help her,” Nnadozie told The Guardian.

“Back in the village, when I used to play with my older brothers [she is the youngest of six children] I used to play in goal, to avoid them injuring me on the field.

“We had two minutes of that game to play and I made a very good save. After the game, coach Ales asked me whether I wanted to remain in the team, to which I said yes. He then said I would have to play as a goalkeeper for the team from then on. I pleaded with him not to do that. But that’s how I switched to goalkeeping.”

The former Rivers Angels shot stopper had 12 clean sheets in all competitions last season for Paris FC.