Cissé tips super eagles among leading contenders for 2025 AFCON title

Former Senegal coach and national team legend Aliou Cissé has identified Nigeria’s Super Eagles as one of the major contenders for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, set to take place in Morocco, Sport360NG reports.

Cissé offered his assessment on Tuesday after commenting on Libya’s exit from the Arab Cup playoffs. Reflecting on Senegal’s chances of reclaiming the African crown, the former Teranga Lions captain expressed confidence in his country’s prospects but admitted the competition will be intense.

“I hope it will be Senegal, because I come from Senegal and my heart is with Senegal,” he said.

The former defender also listed four other nations he believes have the quality to challenge for the title: hosts Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, and Nigeria, runners-up at the previous AFCON.

“Apart from Senegal, there are many teams capable of winning this AFCON. Morocco is also a contender, Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria,” he noted.

Cissé stressed the unpredictability that has long defined the continental tournament, contrasting it with the clearer patterns often seen at the FIFA World Cup.

“In the Africa Cup of Nations, you can’t predict exactly who will win. In the World Cup, you can make predictions. But the Africa Cup of Nations is very complicated. There will always be surprises,” he said.

The 2025 AFCON will run from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, with 24 nations competing for Africa’s biggest football prize.