The Trumpet Newspaper Issue 537 (January 27 - February 9 2021)
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Medics and Police appeal to public to Stay At Home.
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Page16 <strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong> JANUARY <strong>27</strong> - FEBRUARY 9 2020<br />
Sport<br />
Nigeria’s Nnadozie looking out for<br />
number one<br />
By FIFA.com<br />
Once again, Nigeria are set to<br />
finish the year as the<br />
leading African team in the<br />
FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World<br />
Ranking. Positioned 38th overall,<br />
the Super Falcons are currently<br />
soaring 13 places higher than closest<br />
rivals Cameroon – a domination<br />
they have maintained since the<br />
rankings were first launched 17<br />
years ago.<br />
“It’s difficult to get to the top, but<br />
it’s just as complicated to stay<br />
there,” says Nigeria goalkeeper<br />
Chiamaka Nnadozie, explaining the<br />
challenge facing her side to<br />
FIFA.com. “You become the team<br />
to beat, the one everybody wants to<br />
knock off the throne. For us, we owe<br />
it to ourselves to stay at the top. That<br />
means never taking our dominant<br />
position for granted, and obviously<br />
never stopping working hard.”<br />
Nnadozie has good reason to<br />
remain prudent. No African side<br />
reached further than Nigeria at the<br />
FIFA Women’s World Cup France<br />
2019, but after their Round of 16<br />
exit, they then failed to qualify for<br />
the Women’s Olympic Football<br />
Chiamaka Nnadozie - Staying calm<br />
Chiamaka Nnadozie<br />
Tournament at Tokyo 2020. <strong>The</strong>ir<br />
hopes were ultimately dashed by<br />
Côte d’Ivoire, who edged through<br />
despite being unable to beat the<br />
Super Falcons in a pair of draws (0-<br />
0, 1-1). “It happens,” says<br />
Nnadozie. “We know that the level<br />
of competition keeps getting<br />
tougher, but we won’t let up.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> youngster is clearly blessed<br />
with a strong character. She needs it<br />
too, given the importance of her role<br />
in the team at just 19 years of age.<br />
“I’d be lying to you if I said there’s<br />
no pressure,” she adds. “I have a lot<br />
of it, but I’ve learned how to deal<br />
with it. <strong>The</strong> key is to stay calm and<br />
keep your composure. You need to<br />
keep a cool head whatever happens<br />
and never panic. Staying calm<br />
allows you to get out of any<br />
situation.”<br />
Her predictions for <strong>The</strong> Best<br />
FIFA Men’s and Women’s<br />
Goalkeepers<br />
“For the men’s award, I’m a huge<br />
fan of Manuel Neuer, so he’s my<br />
favourite. For the women, in my<br />
opinion it comes down to a duel<br />
between Sarah Bouhaddi and Alyssa<br />
Naeher. I don’t have a preference,<br />
but for me those two are the best<br />
women’s goalkeepers in the world.”<br />
Already an impressive CV<br />
That approach has served her<br />
well so far, Nnadozie having first<br />
announced her talent at the FIFA U-<br />
20 Women’s World Cup France<br />
2018. She then followed that up<br />
with convincing performances at<br />
France 2019 and even set a new<br />
record, becoming the youngest<br />
goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet at a<br />
Women’s World Cup when she<br />
helped Nigeria defeat Korea<br />
Republic 2-0 at the age of 18 and<br />
186 days.<br />
“That was something that meant<br />
a lot to me,” says Nnadozie. “Before<br />
that, I didn’t even think I’d make it<br />
into the squad of 23 players. So, to<br />
take part in that World Cup, to play<br />
and then to keep a clean sheet… it<br />
was one dream coming true after<br />
another. It looks great on a CV! And<br />
it gives me encouragement. It makes<br />
me want to go even further.”<br />
In the meantime, Nnadozie’s<br />
ability has already taken her back to<br />
France, where she is getting to grips<br />
with the French top flight – “a<br />
tough, competitive championship<br />
that’s undoubtedly one of the best in<br />
the world”. Wearing the gloves for<br />
Paris FC, the teenager is now<br />
enjoying life in the capital. “Paris is<br />
extraordinary,” she says. “Of course,<br />
I’ve explored its streets, the Eiffel<br />
Tower, the Arc de Triomphe. I’m<br />
very happy to be living here.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> only down side is being so<br />
far from her family, though that too<br />
is a challenge Nnadozie has taken in<br />
her stride. “It’s very difficult, but<br />
that’s just part of my job. I have to<br />
concentrate on my future.” Indeed,<br />
and not least since she herself<br />
represents the future of the Super<br />
Falcons.<br />
<strong>The</strong><strong>Trumpet</strong> is published in London fortnightly by <strong>Trumpet</strong><br />
Tel: 020 8522 6600 Field: 07956 385 604 E-mail: info@the-trumpet.com (ISSN: 1477-3392)