In a surprising development, the head coach of Nigeria's Super Eagles, Eric Chelle, chose not to participate in the voting for the prestigious 2025 FIFA The Best awards. This boycott occurred despite his eligibility as a national team coach, leaving former captain William Troost-Ekong and journalist Oluwashina Okeleji as the sole Nigerian voters.
Dembele's Dominant Year Culminates in FIFA Award
The award was ultimately claimed by Paris Saint-Germain and France superstar Ousmane Dembele. This victory adds another major individual honour to his remarkable year, following his recent win of the 2025 Ballon d'Or. Dembele triumphed over stiff competition, notably from Barcelona's young sensation Lamine Yamal.
Dembele was the standout performer for a PSG side that achieved an historic quintuple last season, a haul that included their maiden UEFA Champions League title. His exceptional form earned him a spot in the FIFA FIFPro Men's World 11, lining up alongside stars like Yamal, Jude Bellingham, and Virgil van Dijk.
Nigeria's Voting Pattern and Chelle's Notable Absence
The FIFA The Best awards are decided by votes from the captains and coaches of all 211 member nations, along with selected journalists and fans. According to the official data released by FIFA, Eric Chelle's name was conspicuously absent from the list of participating coaches.
In his stead, Nigeria's votes were cast by former Super Eagles skipper William Troost-Ekong and BBC journalist Oluwashina Okeleji. Both voters placed Ousmane Dembele at the top of their three-man shortlist. Troost-Ekong's subsequent picks were Achraf Hakimi and Lamine Yamal, while Okeleji selected Hakimi and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah after Dembele.
The pattern repeated in the coaching category, which Chelle also skipped. Troost-Ekong and Okeleji both voted for Luis Enrique, Hansi Flick, and Arne Slot for Men's Coach of the Year.
Contrast with Super Falcons and Unanswered Questions
The situation with the Nigerian women's national team, the Super Falcons, presented a stark contrast. Coach Justin Madugu and captain Rasheedat Ajibade both fulfilled their voting responsibilities for the women's categories. Alongside Okeleji, they all voted for Nigerian goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie to win the Women's Goalkeeper of the Year award.
As noted by local media, no official explanation has been provided for Coach Chelle's decision to boycott the voting process. His focus appears to be solely on preparing the Super Eagles for the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. Following Troost-Ekong's international retirement, the voting responsibility for future awards is expected to pass to Wilfred Ndidi, pending his confirmation as the new Super Eagles captain.
This incident follows previous Nigerian participation in global awards voting. During the Ballon d'Or ceremony, veteran journalist Samm Audu cast his vote, also selecting Ousmane Dembele as his number one choice, followed by Lamine Yamal and Mohamed Salah.
