2025AFCON: CAF Snubs Osimhen in Choice of Best X1 Players, Pick Eric Chelle as Best Coach.
See Confirmed R16 Fixtures Here.
The Technical Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) responsible for electing players and officials for various awards and position at the African Cup of Nations Tournament (AFCON) has snubbed Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen touted to be the best striker in the continent as the list of the BEST X1 players for the group stages were released in Morocco.
Diminutive striker and former Africa’s Best Player, Ademola Lookman was picked among the best while Nigeria’s Gaffer, Eric Chelle was picked as the Coach.
Leading in the attack were Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez; Senegal’s Sadio Mane and Amad Diallo of Ivpry Coast. Best Goalkeeper is Mohammed El Shenaway of Egypt; Defenders are Noussari Mazraoui of Morocco; Axel Tuazebe of DR Congo; Edmond Tapsoba of Burkina Faso and Yahia El Abdi also of Morocco.
Neither Wilfred Ndidi nor Alex Iwobi who supplied two wonderful assists were picked for the midfield but Lookman Ademola leads Carlos Baleba of Cameroon and Brahim Diaz again of Morocco there.
A total 81 goals were scored in 36 matches played at the group stages before a total crowd of 729,835 fans in attendance. Three players are top joint scorers with three goals each namely Riyad Mareh of Algeria; Ayoub El Kaabi and Brahim Diaz both of Morocco.
Nigeria has the team highest goals of 8 scored so far in the three matches played; Egypt Algeria and Senegal scored 7 goals each as group toppers; Morocco scored 6 goals while Ivory Coast scored 5 goals.
All time highest team scores at AFCON are Egypt with 175 goals; Ivory Coast – 152; Nigeria – 146; Cameroon – 142; Ghana – 138; Tunisia – 99; Algeria -97 and DR Congo – 94.
There were four OWN GOALS. Saul Coco of Equatorial Guinea against Sudan; Ghislain Konan of Ivory Coast against Cameroon; Aubrey Modiba of South Africa against Zimbabwe and Nene also of Equatorial Guinea against Cameroon.
Also Read:2025AFCON: Nigeria Has Team Selection Challenges Against Mozambique in R16 Game.
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Red Cards were flashed to eight players. Basilio Ndong of Guinea against Burkina Faso; Adel Salah of Sudan got double yellow against Algeria; Mohammed Hany of Egypt against South Africal Allou Diery of Mali also got two yellow cards at group stage; Junior Tchamadeu of Cameroon got two yellows; Kings Kangwa of Zambia got a straight red against Morocco and Uche Ikpeazu the Nigerian Ugandan got two yellows while Jamal of Uganda also got a straight red against Nigeria.
According to CAF records, the following players are to get punished Amoudou Haidara of Mali will miss the R16 match against Tunisia for bagging red against Comoros; Kalidou Koulabaly of Senegal who got a straight red against Benin will miss the Sudan match; Abdoul Moumini of Benin who had two yellows will miss playing against Egypt. Other players whose teams have been ousted will miss the next CAF organized match.
CAF has raised the prize money for the AFCON winner to USSD $10m but two Heads of State are using the carrot and stick model of motivation to induce their countries to win the R16 games. Tallest Head of State standing at 2.7 m whose birthday is a day after his country Mozambique meeting with Nigeria has offered each player and officials an equivalent of N11.3m (eleven point three million Naira). Benin has also promised her players a handsome amount to beat the most decorated African Champions with seven titles, Egypt.
Senegal and Sudan opens the knockout stages on Saturday at 3pm.
Here is the official fixture for the round of 16 matches.
1. Senegal vs Sudan at 5pm on Saturday Jan 3rd.
2. Mali vs Tunisia at 8pm on Saturday Jan 3rd.
3. Morocco vs Tanzania at 5pm on Sunday Jan 4.
4. South Africa vs Cameroon at 8pm on Sunday Jan 4.
5. Egypt vs Benin at 5pm on Monday Jan 5.
6. Nigeria vs Mozambique on Monday Jan 5.
7. Algeria vs DR Congo at 5pm on Tuesday Jan 6.
8. CIV vs BFA at 8pm on Tuesday Jan 6.
Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line.
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