France-Based Nigerian Goalkeeper Nnadozie Wants To Help Nigeria Stay Atop The African Game

The Super Falcons are by some distance Africa’s most successful international women’s football team, and the team’s young goalkeeper wants to help maintain that dominance during her time with the side

The Nigerian national female team is the top-ranked African side and the 38th overall heading to the end of the year, and Paris FC goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie opines that hard work can help the team remain the leading African team in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking.

The Super Falcons confirmed their superiority over other African foes in the latest FIFA ranking, rising 13 places higher than closest rivals Cameroon.

It is not a standing that surprises many as the eleven-time Africa Women Cup of Nations champions have dominated the FIFA rankings since they were first launched 17 years ago.

But Nnadozie, who is now enjoying club football in France’s Division 1, is aware that opposition is getting stiffer for the Super Falcons and more has to be done to keep Nigeria ahead of their continental rivals.

“It’s difficult to get to the top, but it’s just as complicated to stay there,” Nnadozie told FIFA.com.

“You become the team to beat, the one everybody wants to knock off the throne. For us, we owe it to ourselves to stay at the top. That means never taking our dominant position for granted, and obviously never stopping working hard.”

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in October appointed former University of Pittsburgh women’s coach Randy Waldrum as the Super Falcons head coach.

The 64-year-old replaced Thomas Dennerby more than 12 months after leaving the role to take up a U17 coaching job with India.