The The saying 'what men can do, women can do better' is often used to support gender equality and empower women.
But for Super Falcons goalkeeper, Chiamaka Nnadozie, it is not just about promoting equality, it's a fact when it comes to saving penalties in football.
The Nigerian women’s national team goalkeeper has become the top penalty saver in Europe, with the highest number of saves from penalty kicks among elite goalkeepers in both men and women’s top leagues since the 2023/24 season began.
In the match against Guingamp on Saturday, Nnadozie once again showed her skill by making her seventh penalty save of the season for Paris FC in their 4-0 victory in France’s Division 1 Women’s League.
On Saturday, she saved a penalty kick for the second time in the league, after stopping five other penalties in the Women's UEFA Champions League.
Last December, Nnadozie stopped HB Hacken’s Rosa Kafaji from 12 yards, marking her fifth penalty save in just eight matches in the Women’s Champions League.
Her saves proved crucial as the French side held their opponents and kept Paris FC’s UEFA Women’s Champions League hopes alive.
She also made a crucial penalty save and several other outstanding stops as Paris FC defeated Real Madrid 2-1 in a UEFA Women’s Champions League game played at the Stade Robert-Bobin.
Before saving a penalty against Real Madrid Women, she had saved two penalties against English giants, Arsenal, and one against Wolfsburg, eliminating both favorites from the competition’s qualifiers.
With a total of seven penalty saves, Nnadozie is currently the best goalkeeper in Europe at saving penalties.
Out of the seven kicks she saved, she stopped two out of three in the French topflight league and five out of eight penalties in the Champions League.
In the men’s category, Predrag Rajković, who plays for LaLiga’s Mallorca, has the most saves from penalty kicks in Europe this season with four saves.
Coincidentally, the Serbian national team goalkeeper, on the same night that Nnadozie denied Guingamp’s Aissata Traore from the penalty for her seventh penalty save of the season, also saved from the spot against Barcelona’s Ilkay Gündogan, marking his fourth of the current campaign, three short of Nnadozie.
Nnadozie, known as the 'penalty expert', has been saving shots from penalty kicks for some time.
At the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France, she saved a penalty against the hosts before the referee asked that the penalty be taken again, stating that the Nigerian keeper moved out of her line before the kick was taken by French captain Wendie Renard.
She couldn't save the retaken kick but was widely applauded for her impressive first attempt.
Nnadozie did it again at last year’s World Cup hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
The goalie stopped a penalty from Canadian star Christine Sinclair in the 50th minute of their 0-0 draw at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium in their first group match.
The 23-year-old's penalty saves were important in helping the Falcons qualify for the last Women's Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, at the expense of Ivory Coast.
The Falcons won 2-0 against the Ivoirians in Abuja in the first leg, but in the 34th minute of the return match at the Stade Robert Champroux, Nnadozie blocked a penalty after defender Ashleigh Plumptre was judged to have fouled an Ivorian striker in the Nigerian box.
At club level, her outstanding skill at stopping penalties has been crucial in strengthening Paris FC's defense and earning crucial points for her team.
Her consistent performance and calmness under pressure have undoubtedly made her a crucial asset for both club and country, earning her respect and recognition among fans, rival fans and teammates.
