IFFHS Africa Best XI: Ajibade, Alozie shine as Nigeria dominate Morocco, South Africa

Five Nigeria Super Falcons stars have been named in the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) Women’s Africa Best XI for 2025, Soccernet.ng reports. 

The list, published by the IFFHS on its official platforms, includes goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, defenders Michelle Alozie and Ashleigh Plumptre, and midfielders Christy Ucheibe and Rasheedat Ajibade. No Nigerian forward made the final selection, despite the team’s attacking success over the past year.

Nigeria provide the biggest share of players in the team, ahead of Morocco and South Africa, who have two representatives each. Zambia and Malawi complete the line-up with one player apiece.

Nnadozie keeps her place in goal, a reflection of her standing as Africa’s leading goalkeeper. The Brighton and Hove Albion player has now won the continent’s best goalkeeper award three years in a row and is widely seen as the safest pair of hands in African football.

Alozie is selected at right-back, with South Africa’s Lebohang Ramalepe on the left. The central defence is made up of Plumptre and South Africa’s Bambanani Mbane, forming a strong and experienced partnership.

In midfield, Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak, the 2025 CAF African Women’s Player of the Year, lines up alongside Super Falcons captain Ajibade and Ucheibe

The forward line features Malawi’s Temwa Chawinga, Zambia’s Barbra Banda and Morocco’s Sanaâ Mssoudy. Notably, none of Nigeria’s key attackers from their last WAFCON triumph: Jennifer Echegini, Esther Okoronkwo and Asisat Oshoala, made the final cut.

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Nigeria: Eyes on another WAFCON crown

The Super Falcons, however, will not be too concerned. They remain the favourites to defend their title when the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations returns in Morocco later this year.

Nigeria won the last edition in style, beating Zambia in the quarter-finals, South Africa in the semi-finals and hosts Morocco in the final. They will now target a record-extending 11th WAFCON title.

Only South Africa (once) and Equatorial Guinea (twice) have ever lifted the trophy aside from Nigeria, a statistic that reveals just how far ahead the Super Falcons remain.