Nigeria, Dec. 17 -- For the second time this year, Nigeria's finest between the sticks, Chiamaka Nnadozie, has watched a global honour slip through her fingers, not for lack of excellence, but in the unforgiving margins of elite football recognition.

On Tuesday night at the Fairmont Katara Hall in Doha, Qatar, Hannah Hampton was named FIFA Best Women's Goalkeeper, edging out Nnadozie in a tightly contested field. The ceremony also crowned Gianluigi Donnarumma as the men's winner.

For Nigerian football followers, the announcement felt familiar and frustrating.

Nnadozie was one of seven goalkeepers shortlisted for the 2025 FIFA Best Women's Goalkeeper Award, alongside Hampton, Ann-Katrin Berger of Germany, Spain's Cata Coll, Chile's Chri...