AFCON 2025: Nigeria was the standout team – Yaya Touré

By Editor

Super Eagles of Nigeria did not win the 2025 African Cup of Nations, but they did win the hearts. What else can we say when one of African football’s greatest players lists them as the best team of the tournament?

Former Manchester City and Barcelona midfielder Yaya Touré made a review of the AFCON tournament and described Nigeria as the most impressive team in Morocco.

Yaya is full of praise for the Super Eagles’ style of play, especially the attack and overall dominance, despite not reaching the final. Nigeria scored 14 goals, which was the highest of the competition, and conceded only four goals through the tournament. The knockout stage was special as the Super Eagles conceded no goals until their semi-final exit.

But even with such credentials as being the competition’s most offensive side, Nigeria’s title push ended in the semi-finals with a loss to hosts Morocco via penalty shootout.

Touré told Bleacher Report Football, “I’ve been seeing the AFCON, I’ve been there as well. I’ve been impressed with Algeria; unfortunately, they get kicked out by Nigeria.”

Touré also glowingly of the strengths of the hosts, highlighting Morocco’s calculated approach under Walid Regragui.

“I’ve been impressed with the team with Walid Regragui. the manager of Morocco, very pragmatic, very direct, and playing counter-attack,” he said.

But Touré kept the best statement for the Super Eagles.

“I was impressed with Nigeria; Nigeria plays good football. When you see the stats, they’ve been scoring more goals than usual. It feels like a full attack, playing very good football.

“The most impressive for me, in my opinion, was Nigeria – the football they were playing, the goals they were scoring. The players winning because the two best African players were on their team.

“They played such wonderful games and got kicked out by Morocco in the semifinals.”

Touré also spoke about other teams that made impressions at the tournament.

“Well, Congo was also good. Algeria kicked them out. Ivory Coast was a young team, at the time a bit naive, but it’s part of the footballing experience,” he said.

Nigeria won the bronze medal, beating Egypt 4-2 on penalties after a scoreless draw at the end of regulation time in the third-place playoff.

Photo: Yaya Toure