FIFA THE BEST
Voting Opens for The Best FIFA Football Awards 2025 — Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie Flying the Flag
The global voting phase for The Best FIFA Football Awards™ 2025 is now open, with Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie among the elite nominees, as FIFA invites fans, captains, coaches, and journalists to help decide the winners of world football’s most prestigious individual honours.
The awards, which celebrate excellence in the men’s and women’s game, will recognise standout players, coaches, and goalkeepers, as well as honour the FIFA Fan Award winners. This year marks the 10th edition of the ceremony, coming at the end of a landmark season highlighted by the expanded FIFA Club World Cup™ held in the United States — a tournament that drew over 2.5 million spectators and captivated billions worldwide.
Nnadozie Represents Africa Among World’s Best
For Nigeria, all eyes are on Super Falcons captain Chiamaka Nnadozie, who made the shortlist for The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper Award. The 23-year-old, who starred for Paris FC before a recent move to Brighton & Hove Albion, is the only African player across all categories this year — and stands a chance of becoming the first from the continent to win the award.
Her nomination comes after a stellar year for club and country, featuring heroic penalty saves, commanding leadership, and consistent performances in the UEFA Women’s Champions League and Olympic qualifiers.
Nnadozie is listed alongside some of the world’s top goalkeepers, including Ann-Katrin Berger (Germany/Gotham FC), Christiane Endler (Chile/Lyon), and Cata Coll (Spain/Barcelona).
How Voting Works
Voting commenced on November 6, 2025, and will run until 23:59 CET on November 28, 2025. Coaches and captains of all 211 FIFA Member Associations, accredited journalists, and fans worldwide can cast their votes through a dedicated voting application available on FIFA.com/The-Best-FIFA-Football-Awards-2025.
Each of the four voting groups — coaches, captains, journalists, and fans — carries equal weight (25%) in determining the final results.
Nominees at a Glance
Among the star-studded lists are global icons such as Kylian Mbappé, Mohamed Salah, and Achraf Hakimi (for The Best FIFA Men’s Player), as well as Aitana Bonmatí, Alexia Putellas, and Temwa Chawinga (for The Best FIFA Women’s Player).
Coaches Mikel Arteta, Luis Enrique, Sarina Wiegman, and Jonatan Giráldez also feature among the nominees for managerial excellence, while Alisson Becker, Emiliano Martínez, and Manuel Neuer headline the men’s goalkeeping category.
FIFA will also present special honours, including The Best FIFA Men’s 11, The Best FIFA Women’s 11, and the FIFA Fan Award, which celebrates extraordinary passion and support.
A Proud Moment for Nigeria
Nnadozie’s nomination continues a proud Nigerian tradition of global recognition, echoing past appearances by legends such as Mercy Akide, Asisat Oshoala, and Perpetua Nkwocha in major FIFA award considerations. Her inclusion underscores Nigeria’s enduring influence on women’s football and Africa’s growing presence on the world stage.
Voting closes on November 28, and the winners will be announced at a glittering ceremony later this year — where the world will celebrate football’s finest and, perhaps, witness a new chapter of Nigerian history being written.
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Nigerian journalist, Oluwashina Okeleji who voted under the Nigerian banner as a media practitioner in the FIFA The Best election is one of the few who got a perfect voting pattern.
His deep knowledge of the game is reflected in his vote which came as a perfect mark.
He voted this way:
- 1.Vinicious Jr., 2. Rodri, 3. Jude Bellingham
Okeleji has since 2004 been reporting for the BBC World Service Radio and Television (Focus on Africa Sport) and writes regularly for the BBC African Football website.
He also contributes to World Soccer magazine and Al Jazeera English (Sport). He is a multiple-ward winner.
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Brazil and Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr has been named FIFA Men’s Player after voting was conducted with fans, national coaches, and captains forming the electoral college.
Nigerians may wish to know how their coaches and captain voted. Coach Augustine Owen Eguavoen voted as follows:
- Lionel Messi, 2. Vinícius Jr, 3. Rodri.
Messi, Eguavoen’s first choice did not make the top three. He placed sixth overall.
The Super Eagles captain, William Troost Ekong’s voting sheet reveals he voted this way:
1. Jude Bellingham, 2. Vinícius Jr, 3. Rodri
He nearly had a perfect scoring as the trio made the top three, but Bellingham finished third.
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After controversially missing being named this year’s Ballon d’Or winner,Brazil and Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr was named FIFA Men’s player of the Year in Doha on Tuesday.
The 24-year-old scored 24 goals in 39 appearances across all competitions to help Real Madrid clinch the LaLiga and Champions League double. He also scored in the final win over Borussia Dortmund.
The Brazilian won the award ahead of Spain and Manchester City midfielder Rodri and his teammate at Real, England’s Jude Bellingham.
The 24-year-old, who narrowly missed out on the Ballon d’Or to Rodri in October, was in Doha to collect the award, with Real in Qatar for Wednesday’s FIFA Intercontinental Cup final against Mexico’s Pachuca.
“It seemed impossible when I played barefoot in the streets of Sao Goncalo and now I’m here,” Vinicius said.
Bonmati retained the FIFA women’s Player of the Year award ahead of Zambia’s Barbra Banda and Norway’s Caroline Graham Hansen, having also won the women’s Ballon d’Or for the second consecutive year in October.
The 26-year-old helped her club to a domestic treble last season in a campaign in which Barca also retained the Champions League, and Bonmati scored in the semi-final and final when Spain won the Nations League in February.
“I’m very grateful for this award, but I always say that this is a team effort, with a Barca that won everything and the national team,” Bonmati said.
Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti won the best men’s coach award after the Italian led his club to the league and Champions League double last season.
“I want to share this with the club, with my president and with my players, those of the best club in the world,” Ancelotti said.
-Reuters
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