Super Falcons’ winning coach at this year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, Justin Madugu has been tipped to emerge winner of the 2025 Ballon d’Or award for the best gaffer in the female team category.
Sports247 reports that Madugu is now competing for the prestigious award along with England’s women’s national team handler, Sania Wregman, as well as Renee Slegers of Arsenal Women, Sonia Bompastor of Chelsea Women and Athur Elias of Spain.
Read Also: NBBF Vice-president Babatunde Ogunade Denies Reports Of Poor Preparation For D’Tigers
In the first major reaction to the roll called that was announced by the Ballon d’Or organisers on Thursday, Bayelsa United of Yenagoa coach, Whyte Ogbonda opined that Madugu deserves his nomination and should be supported to win the prize at stake.
While casting a look ahead of the award’s ceremony, which is billed to take place on September 22nd at Theatre due Chatelet in Paris, France, Ogbonda declared that it is also a confirmation of the high quality of Nigerian coaches.
Ogbonda retorted, “He deserves it, and I know we have the resources here. So, all hands must be on deck to ensure that Coach Madugu wins the Ballon d’Or award of the year.”
Ogbonda, who previously coached Confluence Queens of Lokoja to enviable points in the Nigerian Women Football League (NWFL), also noted that Madugu’s giant strides with the Falcons qualified him for the Ballon d’Or nomination and added that the bulky gaffer should now be confirmed as the national team’s substative handler.
He stressed, “This is because of his efforts for female football in Africa. He’s done well, and he’s a technocrat in the system.
“He’s very experienced when it comes to football in general. With what happened at this year’s WAFCON, that shows he’s capable.
“If given the opportunity full time, he’ll satisfy the fans in Nigeria and Africa. So, he’s justified to be the substantive coach.”
The highly resourceful tactician, who is fondly called ‘Coach Whyte,’ concluded by noting that Madugu’s nomination will have a ripple effort of further giving credence to the quality of indigenous Nigerian gaffers, who he believes will gain more respect henceforth.
“It’s a big testimony when you come to coaches in Nigeria because all the female clubs in the country are being handled by our Nigerian coaches, male and female.
“Madugu happens to be one of us. Outside the shores of Nigeria, he showed Africa and the world as a whole that Nigeria has what it takes when it comes to coaching,” Ogbonda posited.
