Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie is winning hearts in England with her outstanding debut season.
The Brighton shot-stopper leads the Women’s Super League saves chart and earned a PFA nomination.
Super Falcons star Chiamaka Nnadozie continues to make waves in her debut season in England, climbing to the top of the Women’s Super League (WSL) saves chart and earning a nomination for the PFA Fans’ Player of the Month award for September.
The Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper, who joined the English club from Paris FC during the summer transfer window, has made an instant impact. In just five league matches, she has produced 22 saves, the highest in the division so far. She is followed closely by Leicester City’s Janina Leitzig with 21 saves and London City Lionesses’ Elene Lete with 19.
League data also shows that Nnadozie has kept two clean sheets, ranking among the league’s most consistent performers. Only Tottenham’s Lize Kop and Manchester United’s Phallon Tullis-Joyce have managed more, with three each.
Her early form has been vital to Brighton’s promising start to the campaign. The Seagulls currently sit sixth on the WSL table and are preparing to face West Ham United in the Women’s League Cup on Wednesday before meeting Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday.
Nnadozie’s brilliance between the posts has earned her a spot among six nominees for the PFA WSL Fans’ Player of the Month award. Others on the list include Chelsea’s Aggie Beever-Jones, Manchester United’s Melvine Malard, Arsenal’s Alessia Russo, Manchester City’s Bunny Shaw, and Tottenham’s Cathinka Tandberg.
Throughout September, Nnadozie’s performances were outstanding. She helped Brighton secure seven points from four games, including a clean sheet on her debut against Aston Villa and several crucial saves in the draw with Manchester City. Against Tottenham on Sunday, she made six key stops to deny Tandberg, Bethany England, Eveliina Summanen, and Toko Koga, though Brighton eventually lost 1-0.
The 24-year-old Nigerian has enjoyed a remarkable year. She won the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria, where she was named Goalkeeper of the Tournament, and became the first African goalkeeper to be nominated for the Women’s Yashin Trophy at the Ballon d’Or awards, finishing fourth overall, a historic feat for African women’s football.
However, despite her success, Nnadozie admitted that moving to England came with emotional challenges. In an interview featured in Nike and VERSUS’ “Nothing Off the Table” film, she said,
“It has not really been easy because people just see you come out on the field to play, they don’t know the struggles behind. Since I moved to Brighton, every day I cry because I feel lonely. I miss my family, my teammates and coaches.”
She praised Brighton’s coaching staff and teammates for helping her adapt to life in a new environment.
“I think the most important thing is having people who really care about you. That has helped me a lot,” she said.
Brighton manager Dario Vidosic described her as a model professional, saying her Ballon d’Or recognition was a “fantastic achievement for the club and women’s football.”
“As a club and as a squad, we’re proud of her. Being recognized among the world’s best goalkeepers is something special,” he added.
