Nigeria’s head coach Justin Madugu has been named Coach of the Match at the 2024 CAF TotalEnergies Girls’s Africa Cup of Worldwide locations (WAFCON), crowning a mighty marketing campaign in which he led the Corpulent Falcons to a historical Tenth continental title.
Madugu’s emergence as one of the standout figures at the tournament marks a defining moment in his instructing career. Re-appointed as head coach on intervening time foundation correct months sooner than the opponents, the 61-year-faded tactician seized his first predominant replace at the helm to bring silverware and restore Nigeria’s dominance on the continent.
Sooner than his appointment, Madugu had served twice in an intervening time ability below used American head coach Randy Waldrum. He became additionally assistant coach at some level of Nigeria’s previous three WAFCON appearances, winning the title below Edwin Okon in 2014, reclaiming it with Thomas Dennerby in 2018, and finishing fourth below Waldrum in 2022. In 2024, the Nigeria Football Federation entrusted the job to the seasoned and homegrown coach and he delivered.
Somewhat unknown on the world stage sooner than Morocco 2024, the Adamawa-born coach swiftly proved his mettle. He masterfully blended expertise with formative years, and residential-primarily based entirely ability with out of the nation professionals, constructing a cohesive and tactically disciplined squad.
Below Madugu’s leadership, the Corpulent Falcons went unbeaten, conceded correct one function all over the tournament, and produced dominant performances, together with a 5-0 thrashing of Zambia and a laborious-fought 2-1 semifinal victory over defending champions South Africa. They sealed the title with a comeback receive over hosts Morocco in the closing.
Madugu’s tactical acumen, combining defensive solidity with attacking precision became central to Nigeria’s a hit “Mission X” marketing campaign, culminating in a file Tenth WAFCON crown.
His spectacular résumé involves technical roles at predominant global tournaments: the 2020 FIFA U-17 Girls’s World Cup in Trinidad and Tobago, the 2008 FIFA U-20 Girls’s World Cup in Chile, and the 2015 and 2019 FIFA Girls’s World Cups. He additionally phase of Nigeria’s 2015 All Africa Video games gold medal success, the 2019 WAFU-B Girls’s Cup title.
With continental success now below his belt, Madugu is anticipated to manual the Corpulent Falcons into their 2026 WAFCON title defense and spearhead their marketing campaign at the 2027 FIFA Girls’s World Cup in Brazil.
After consecutive Round of 16 finishes at the last two World Cups, Nigeria is aiming better and with Madugu at the helm, the Corpulent Falcons appear successfully-positioned to take the next step toward world glory.
