Senegalese football icon and Teranga Lions head coach, Aliou Cissé, has named Nigeria’s Super Eagles among the leading contenders for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title, reinforcing the growing belief that the three-time champions remain one of Africa’s most feared forces ahead of the tournament in Morocco.
Speaking after Libya’s exit from the Arab Cup playoffs on Tuesday, Cissé—who captained Senegal during his playing days and now commands legendary status as a coach—expressed confidence in Senegal’s chances but acknowledged that the battle for the crown will be fiercely contested.
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“I hope it will be Senegal, because I come from Senegal and my heart is with Senegal,” he said, before widening the lens on the teams capable of lifting the title.
Beyond his homeland, Cissé listed four other heavyweights he believes are primed for a strong run: host nation Morocco, Algeria, record champions Egypt, and Nigeria, who finished as runners-up at the last edition in Côte d’Ivoire.
“Apart from Senegal, there are many teams capable of winning this AFCON. Morocco is also a contender, Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria,” he declared.
Cissé, who has guided Senegal to unprecedented success in recent years, highlighted the uniquely unpredictable nature of AFCON—often regarded as one of the most difficult tournaments to forecast.
“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 added.
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations will run from December 21 to January 18 across several Moroccan cities, with 24 nations competing for continental supremacy. With Cissé’s endorsement, Nigeria’s Super Eagles join the shortlist of early favourites for what promises to be another gripping AFCON showdown.
