'It’s not the end of life' - Super Falcons coach Justin Madugu reacts to CAF awards snub

Super Falcons head coach Justin Madugu has responded with grace and composure after missing out on the CAF Women’s Coach of the Year award, insisting that the setback will not derail his commitment to Nigerian women’s football.

Madugu, who took charge of the Super Falcons in October 2024 following the departure of Randy Waldrum, was widely considered a strong contender for the award.

Under his leadership, Nigeria enjoyed an impressive unbeaten run in qualifiers and won the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) for the record 10th time. He was also nominated for the 2025 Ballond'or.

The CAF Women’s Coach of the Year award eventually went to Lamia Boumehdi of Morocco, who guided the TP Mazembe Women to third place finish in the CAF Women's Champions League.

Madugu’s reaction came to public attention following a post on X (formerly Twitter) by Nigerian football analyst @Mike_ThePundit, who shared the coach’s remarks after the CAF Awards ceremony held in Marrakech, Morocco, amid the ongoing AFCON 2025.

“I had expected that I would win the award,” Madugu said.

He added, “However, that’s not the end of life. We would continue to do our best and make our country proud.”

Despite the controversy, Madugu has remained focused on the task ahead. The Super Falcons are preparing for WAFCON 2026, to be hosted by Morocco later this year.