Super Falcons head coach, Justin Madugu has narrowly missed out on the 2025 CAF Women’s Coach of the Year award, despite masterminding Nigeria’s historic 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) triumph.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed TP Mazembe Women head coach Lamia Boumehdi as the winner, with Madugu and Morocco women’s national team coach Jorge Vilda completing the final shortlist.
Award Announced in Rabat After Long Delay
The announcement was made on Thursday in Rabat, Morocco, shortly before the final draw for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
This happened, because, the award was deferred from last year’s CAF Awards ceremony due to the women’s football calendar still being active, particularly with the CAF Women’s Champions League ongoing.
Madugu’s shocking omission has sparked conversations across African football circles, especially considering his outstanding achievements with Nigeria over the past year.
Justin Madugu’s Historic WAFCON Achievement
Under Justin Madugu’s leadership, Nigeria reclaimed continental supremacy at the 2024 WAFCON, completing an unbeaten campaign and securing a record-extending 10th African title.
The Super Falcons famously produced a dramatic comeback in the final, overturning a two-goal deficit to defeat hosts Morocco 3–2, a result widely regarded as one of the greatest comebacks in WAFCON history.
Nigeria scored 14 goals and conceded just three throughout the tournament, with Madugu’s tactical acumen earning him the Best Coach of the Tournament award.
His work also received global recognition, as he became the first Nigerian coach ever nominated for the Women’s Coach of the Year at the Ballon d’Or, and notably the only African coach on the shortlist.
Why Lamia Boumehdi Won
The eventual winner, Lamia Boumehdi, achieved back-to-back recognition after also winning the award in 2024.
In 2025, she guided TP Mazembe Women to a third-place finish at the CAF Women’s Champions League, clinching the bronze medal following a 3–1 victory over Egypt’s FC Masar.
While Boumehdi’s achievement is commendable, many observers argue it falls short when compared with Madugu’s international success at Africa’s premier women’s tournament.
Madugu and Jorge Vilda ultimately finished behind Boumehdi in the final voting.
Justin Madugu Reacts to CAF Awards Snub
Madugu responded with composure and perspective, acknowledging the decision while expressing his resolve to continue working for Nigeria.
“It’s one of those things in life, the expectations most times are not always met.”
“CAF will have her reasons for why the award didn’t go to the winner of the last WAFCON. I had expected that I would win the award.”
“However, that is not the end of life. Life continues. It has gone to somebody else. We’ll continue to do our best and make sure that we make our country proud.”
Questions Over CAF Award’s Criteria and Transparency
The decision has reignited criticism of CAF’s awards process, with many questioning the criteria used to determine the winner.
Winning the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations is widely regarded as the highest honour in African women’s football, and guiding a national team to that title is often viewed as the benchmark for coaching excellence on the continent.
Observers have asked a fundamental question: if winning WAFCON is no longer sufficient to secure the Coach of the Year award, what is?
Concerns have also been raised over what some perceive as a growing trend of decisions favoring host nations, particularly Morocco, as well as the lengthy delay before the award announcement, which many feel only added to the confusion and mistrust.
Other Awards Announced
In other honours handed out by CAF:
WAFCON 2026: Focus Shifts Back to the Pitch
Justin Madugu and the Super Falcons are expected to quickly refocus on competitive action.
Nigeria are targeting qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup and will also aim to extend their dominance with an unprecedented 11th WAFCON title.
